Experiences in Early Learning: Martínez Early Learning Center
The profusion of possible futures and life paths grounded in the character, course, and timing of early brain development is guided and sustained by continuous, bidirectional interactions between human biology and social and educational environments. ²
2. Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2015. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/19401, Page 57.
Click to Enlarge Images
Figure 1: Site Plan Conditions with traffic flow and climatic background. Note the two interior courtyard are surrounded by three distinct neighborhoods within the confines of each village.
Figure 2: Floor Plan shown with two Villages reflected with courtyard provided for each. Note the Voyages, Inquiry and Discovery Neighborhoods that surround each courtyard.
“Learning is a life-long adventure beginning at a very young age and occurring through high-quality learning experiences as they age”,¹ is a most appropriate as a foundational statement for cognitive development of every young child. The adage serves as the inspiration attributed to the Martinez Early Learning Center in Alief Independent School District (AISD). Notably, this center was the district's pioneering effort in early childhood education and set the standard for subsequent Early Learning Centers in the district.
Educators involved in this project recognized the immense value of the personal experiences of a young child's learning. Many students do not have the opportunity to travel, explore, and broaden their horizons at a young age, experiences that can provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning. The Martinez Early Learning Center was meticulously designed to provide these crucial experiences that would profoundly influence students' future learning adventures.
The layout of the school is structured around the concept of “villages.” At this center, there are two such villages, each offering simultaneous and parallel instruction. Within each of the villages, three distinct “neighborhoods” each with an educational directive: Inquiry, Voyages, and Discovery. Each neighborhood houses four learning experience “houses”, where the curriculum aligns with the theme of the neighborhood. To foster a sense of community and outdoor play, each village is organized around a secure courtyard seen from every vantage point along the perimeter circulation corridor.
Architectural Features
The Center's Main Entry, as noted by the circle, is signified using curvilinear drives and floating roofs that reflect the composition of the "Village". The myriad of sloped roofs are intended to convey an organic formation of the villages, rather than a classically organized arrangement.
In the upper center photo, the Learning Hub is central to the life of students in each neighborhood. The four curated learning experiences, shown, surround the Learning Hub of a specific neighborhood. The experiences can be recognized by the intensive level of activities and furnishings based upon a specific theme for each room.
As shown at the lower left, one of the two outdoor courtyards are arranged internally and surrounded by an internal promenade. Students are able to maintain visibility at all times to the courtyard along the perimeter corridor within each of the two villages.
