THE KINKAID SCHOOL
ACT is reimagining learning spaces of the future for The Kinkaid School’s new 200,000-sf high school and gym project. The oldest independent coeducational school in Houston, Kinkaid has charged us, together with StudioRED, to design a timeless school that promotes wellness, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
21st-Century Learning Spaces
Learning spaces of the future no longer centralize the teacher as the “sage on the stage” but rather focus on student-centered approaches. Our design of the lobby, student centers, alumni center, library, corridors, boardroom, administration, and cafe provided a multitude of different ways for students to learn through unique architectural forms and flexible furniture to adjust for different programs and events. We aim for the architecture to promote experiences that cultivate the skills needed for the diverse, adaptive, and nimble next generation of students.
Design that Promotes Serendipity & Discovery
Rather than viewing the classroom as the primary place of learning, our design activated spaces like the lobby or corridors, otherwise thought of as mere passthrough spaces. Acknowledging that learning can happen serendipitously on the way from one class to another and not just from teachers but also peers, we designed places to perch and informally meet throughout the school. Throughout the library and student centers, interiors are laid out in an open serpentine plan to promote commingling of students and serendipitous discovery.
