“The best school environments don’t just support learning—they ignite imagination, nurture belonging, and empower every student to thrive.”
Schmidt Associates
Washington Township Early Learning Center
Indianapolis, IN
Client: MSD of Washington Township
Size: 37,000 SF
Completion: 2024
Architect: Schmidt Associates
General Contractor: Smoot Construction
Following a full assessment and campus master plan, MSD of Washington Township decided to add a one-story building to the existing Community and Education Center (CEC) to make room for a new Early Learning Center for the district's youngest learners. This location would also benefit from shared infrastructure support.
The facility now serves as the new home for both a developmental preschool and a daycare for employees’ children, ages 2-5. The preschool addition includes administrative areas, a multi-purpose room, an activity zone, and classrooms arranged in “pods” with all associated support spaces.
DLR Group
Almeta Crawford High School
Rosharon, TX
Client: Fort Bend ISD
Size: 502,000
Completion: 2023
Architect: DLR Group
General Contractor: Durotech Inc.
Almeta Crawford High School sets a new precedent for Fort Bend ISD. The new school is a modern space where designers took an underdeveloped area and created an intuitive campus that pays homage to the deep roots of the district’s history. For nearly four decades the school’s namesake, Almeta Crawford, was an inspiring and highly respected educator at Fort Bend ISD. She taught for more than 30 years at Dulles High School and received numerous awards, including the 2018 Jan DeBlance Memorial Award for Instructional Excellence.
Legat Architects
Jefferson Early Childhood Center
Wheaton, Illinois
Client: Community Unit School District 200
Size: 43,000
Completion: 2022
Architect: Legat Architects
General Contractor: Nicholas & Associates
Jefferson Early Childhood Center encourages exploration, environmental education, and peer interaction for students of all developmental stages. Evidence of the facility’s focus on early learners appears in everything from the playful facade and classroom window placement to the energetic color scheme and quiet HVAC system. The efficient design reduces construction costs, and an energy-efficient geothermal system lowers heating and cooling costs.
Legat Architects’ designers drew inspiration not only from administrators, teachers, and parents, but also from community members and specialists ranging from physical and occupational therapists to speech and language pathologists.
KI
Upper Merion Area High School
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Client: Upper Merion Area High School
Size: 300,000 square feet
Completion: 2022
As Upper Merion Area High School officials set out to design and furnish their newly constructed building, they kept one guiding philosophy in mind: learning can happen anywhere, not just in the classroom.
From dynamic commons areas and flexible science labs to collaborative hallways and thoughtfully designed teacher planning centers, each space was intentionally designed to support connection, creativity, and discovery.
Working alongside school administrators, KI helped bring this vision to life with adaptable furnishings that empower both students and educators throughout the building.
Patent # US10357102B2
Paragon
Maker Invent Table
5 Shifts Transforming School Design
School design is evolving quickly, driven by a convergence of technology, flexibility, and human-centered priorities. From AI-powered learning tools and multi-use classrooms to smarter infrastructure, wellness-focused environments, and visible sustainability strategies, today’s schools are being rethought from the ground up. These five innovations highlight how districts, designers, and manufacturers are working together to create spaces that are more adaptable, connected, and responsive to how students and educators actually learn and teach.
