
A Community-Based Vision:
Modernizing Facilities for the Next Generation of Learners
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205
Elmhurst, Illinois
After a year-long community-based effort to research and evaluate options to address overcrowding at the K-8 grade levels, the Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 decided to develop a building program to construct 52 classroom additions at 11 schools.


Edison Elementary School
Edison Elementary School was the first school to receive improvements as part of the comprehensive modernization program. In addition to updating the aging infrastructure systems, two major program challenges needed to be addressed:
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Creating space for the recently implemented all-day kindergarten curriculum
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Providing choice and independence through flexibility, variety, and visibility in all new and existing spaces of the facility
Because funding resources needed to be stretched across multiple facilities in the District, spaces and programs receiving the most attention were those that would have the biggest impact on the day-to-day, educational experience of the majority of students.
In this case, the library media center was reimagined and relocated to a location of the school that abuts the new kindergarten classroom wing. Select openings along three sides of the space frame view into the library and allow streamlined access for all students and staff, from all areas of the building.
The library media center also serves as a catalyst for improvements throughout other portions of the building. New, adjoining hallways are wider than typical and equipped with a variety of furniture, which extends the learning environment beyond the typical classroom. Nooks for breakout instruction are carved out of selected locations in the existing hallways. This makes virtually every square foot of the building usable for learning.


Lincoln Elementary
As the oldest and most accessibility challenged school in Elmhurst, the new Lincoln Elementary School replaced a 1915 building with a two-story, state-of-the-art facility. The new K-5 school accommodates up to 600 students and aligns with modern learning strategies consistent with the District’s mission.
Three key challenges emerged through the planning and design process:
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Maximizing indoor/outdoor instructional space on a severely restricted site
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Enhancing safety with adequate on-site parking and improved traffic flow
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Honoring the history of the original school while celebrating its place in
the neighborhood
The new school’s exterior architectural design reflects the changes and housing re-development at the core of the community’s transformation. The appearance of the new Lincoln School focuses on shared memories with the aesthetics reflective of its context and time.
On the inside, the school is partitioned into grade-level neighborhoods...each given its own identifying personality through color and student-inspired graphics. The open plan library media center and adjoining dining commons connects these classrooms to other services and programs students need throughout the day. Eliminating corridors maintaining clear site-lines across each level and designing for flexibility ensure that almost every square foot in the facility is used for educational purposes.












