There’s a thin line between fear and growth, and a gradient between chaos and calm. Abrupt changes create fissures and fractures but are sometimes needed to allow for a gradual decompression in meditative isolation; during which we realize that our fears aren’t always what they seem nor pose as serious a threat as we imagined. Childhood is a time riddled with fears, growth, and wonder; and schools are the arenas where these factors wax and wane. Children today are growing up in hyper-stimulating environments which when compounded with the neurotypical expectation to consistently socialize and perform takes a toll on all students but more specifically neurodivergent kids. Considering that classrooms are often tight and overcrowded, a stressful environment emerges, where a peaceful and spacious one is needed for the total fulfillment of students and teachers. This adaptive reuse school is designed to serve a neurodiverse population of K-5th graders with classrooms capped at 15 students per class while providing spaces for education and environments for social decompression for students, faculty, and staff.

Developed for Core 2 Studio at Columbia's GSAPP