Willow Oak Montessori Foundation
Chatham County, NC - 33,000 Sq ft
This project is the culmination of a decade of collaborative planning, design, and construction to ensure the spirit of the Montessori Method could be fully realized in built form, and finally bring the Willow Oak Foundation together onto one campus. Multiple iterations of the master plans were generated to balance programming needs with the established budget and alternate sites were examined for feasibility before the final 12.75-acre lot was purchased in Chatham County.
Children attending this public charter school have easy access to outdoor natural spaces, in addition to natural daylighting through clerestory windows and fresh air through the numerous operable windows. Classrooms have been oversized to allow for a variety of learning environments and flexibility and include soundproofing at demising walls to limit distractions. A dedicated Art Room and Media Room allows for a rotation of classes throughout the day. The campus features three single-story buildings, ample parking, and a nature trail to connect the school with the neighboring housing development. This pedestrian trail allows students to walk or ride bicycles to the school without encountering vehicular traffic. A large stormwater retention pond also serves the campus and can be used for outdoor classroom space. Deep overhangs at the front and rear of the main building provide shaded, weather-protected porch space for gathering. A landscaped central courtyard serves as the gathering point for the school community and will support future expansion.
The school campus also supports The Children’s House, a licensed childcare program available to the community. Each building features natural daylighting, operable windows, fenced outdoor play areas, and gender-neutral restrooms. There is a large multipurpose room with warming kitchen that can be used for student lunches or host indoor gym classes during inclement weather, but also can be rented as a special event space to build revenue for the school.
The project was funded through the USDA office of Rural Development. Fundraising campaigns post construction have successfully funded playground equipment and outdoor shade structures that were previously value-engineered.
