Deer Path Middle School Breakout Area

“We installed moveable walls, made good use of natural light, and worked with MiEN to come up with an interior design that fit with our core mission. One of the first things to go were the uncomfortable, metal chairs found in most science labs. We wanted students to be able to sit and collaborate comfortably. Other important must-haves were a pleasant ambience and some Feng Shui to tie the whole concept together. When you go somewhere like Starbucks or another cool type of coffee house, that’s where a lot of people do their best work. It’s where they feel inspired, and we wanted to emulate that atmosphere in The Living Room.”

“With our design partner, we were able to implement some new, innovative concepts that support modern learning and collaboration. Some of those concepts include pub tables that students can gather around; cozy chairs that move and rock; and comfortable couches. As a 1:1 school where students have either iPads or Chromebooks, we also included outlets for device charging and writing spaces at every station throughout the labs.”

Renee Fitzsimmons is Director of Innovation at Lake Forest School District in Lake Forest, Ill.