The existing library at Roy De Shane Elementary School was not supporting the district’s 21st Century Learning curriculum, and required improvements to bring the facility up-to-date. Renovations also included updates to the school’s main entrance to improve student safety. The new entrance has two security vestibules requiring visitors to traverse three levels of access control through the use of card readers, electric strikes, and audio/visual devices.
The library, re-titled The Innovation Center, is zoned into four main spaces: The Think Tank, Critical Thinking Area, Collaboration Lounge, and Seating Area, which collectively provide spaces for individual learning, as well as teamwork. The Think Tank creates a more formal classroom space, separated from the main library with an operable partition, allowing the space to adapt from a quiet learning zone to a collaborative one. The Critical Thinking Area has three levels of tiered seating to accommodate larger group meetings, and is equipped with technology for presentations. The Collaboration Lounge is an informal space furnished with flexible soft seating to appeal to student preference, and the Seating Area is a more traditional set-up with tables and chairs.
The Innovation Center now incorporates natural daylighting through a newly installed 11’ x 22’ skylight. Its flexible zones recognize that it must serve a myriad of needs from collaboration to individual learning to professional development. Flexible furniture allows for adaptability and the ability to accommodate multiple classes or activities simultaneously. The renovations transformed the space into an environment that encourages and supports creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.
