New Style of Campus. New Style of Learning.
Brand-new classrooms in Honolulu immerse keiki in nature.
Photo: Courtesy of ʻIolani School
The new K-1 classrooms at ʻIolani School incorporate natural elements.
Nearly 200 kindergarteners and first graders in urban Honolulu have begun their new school year in brand-new classrooms inspired—and surrounded—by nature. These classrooms have outdoor lanais, natural sunlight, gardening spaces and ceiling-to-floor windows overlooking brand-new playgrounds.
The “biophilic” elements are part of ʻIolani School’s new K-1 Community, which opened two weeks ago. The innovative designs help to blend academic learning with playtime and nature.
Photo: Courtesy of ʻIolani School
Time to play and explore their new classroom!
The K-1 Community is about 65,000 square feet, comprising seven classrooms and five community “hales.” Even the hales are inspired by nature with names, such as: Ao (clouds), Mauna (mountains), Wai (water), Honua (earth) and Kai (ocean).
Outside the buildings, the playgrounds have outdoor climbing and water play equipment, a slide, performance spaces, and themed play areas. The grounds were designed for keiki to learn about life cycles, native Hawaiian species, and more.
Photo: Courtesy of ʻIolani School
Keik get creative with water in their biophilic nature-inspired playground.
There are 96 students in the kindergarten program, up from 72 last year, plus 96 first-grade students.
The new K-1 Community is part of a larger expansion plan over five years at ‘Iolani. Scheduled to be completed by summer 2020 are the Lower School Science and Innovation Center and Dance & Music Studios Building. The latter will be connected to a courtyard that will double as an outdoor performance space.
Photo: Courtesy of ʻIolani School
