The Marin Montessori Day School addition included construction of a 7,500 sq. ft. classroom building for children between 3-5 years old, a 7,500 sq. ft. classroom building for students ages 6-9 years old, and offices for the school administration. The school remained in full operation while the work was performed with the 200 students in attendance.
Since part of the Montessori curriculum involves teaching children practical skills such as preparing food and washing dishes, each classroom contains a child-sized kitchen with countertops designed to scale. Stair risers, low placement of doorknobs, and low windowsills were built to suit a child’s perspective.
Environmental Coexistence was a top priority of the school and design elements. The challenge of building a school on the edge of the Bay wetlands took careful planning and coordination with all municipal agencies involved. The wood framed classroom structures featured a hydronic heating system placed under the bamboo floor and a passive cooling system using natural air flow.
