A Sense of Entry

A Sense of Entry: Designing the Welcoming School presents a selection of projects from Hutton Ford Architects' extensive portfolio of work. The firm's primary goal in designing schools is to create high-performance places that enhance the learning experience. Solutions are sought that provide a welcoming feeling, solve programmatic and functional requirements, are environmentally responsible, and importantly, acknowledge the significant role that the school plays in the lives of children and teachers and its contribution to the community. Every project in the book is unique, however, consistent themes emerge in the firm's approach to designing the movement experience. Each project is identified by one of the following elements: Identity, Wayfinding, Influence of Streets, and Procession. The entrance and movement architecture presented here is a natural outcome of the consideration of all these factors. The size of schools dictates that one spends a lot of time moving within and around the school. Therefore, the awareness of movement has become a significant part of the daily experience in navigating the school environment. Making this experience as stress-free and enriching as possible is what Designing the Welcoming School is all about.