85 years after opening, this school remains a paragon of child-centered architecture

The Crow Island School was the vision of superintendent Carleton Washburne, who aimed to champion forward-looking education through the design of a building. Washburne assembled a team of architects who spent a year working with educators, students, and families, as well as observing children in classrooms, to better understand how teaching and learning were linked to space. The design that emerged from their research rejected the rigid, conventional classroom. At a time when people were accustomed to classical, symmetrical buildings, the team conceived the new school from the inside out, with a focus on the needs of the young children who would be living and learning there.

Although it’s nearly 90 years old, the low-slung brick school building is still decidedly modern. It sits in a parklike setting and consists of four classroom wings arranged by grade (one of which was added in 1954) that extend from a central hub containing common spaces like the auditorium, library, gymnasium, and administration. Each of the L-shaped classrooms has a variety of learning spaces and is self-contained, with a sink, drinking fountain and, importantly, direct access to its own courtyard. “Crow Island felt like an extension of my home,” says Melissa Brody, another former student and current staff member.

Daylight beams in through substantial windows that reach down toward the floor, enabling outdoor views for even the small-statured students. Blackboards and other fixtures were also originally installed with a child’s height in mind. This student-centered approach to design marked a critical turning point for education, and in 1971, the project was awarded the American Institute of Architects’ Twenty-five Year Award. In 1990, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Over decades of serving generations of children and educators, the school has integrated itself into Winnetka’s fabric, becoming an important part of the local identity. So, when envisioning the building’s next chapter and selecting a team to lead the process, the school board and community gave the project special consideration. They decided to collaborate with the same firm that had envisioned the original design. “This is a community that deeply values its history and, as such, its relationships with partners,” says Dr. Kelly Tess, superintendent of the Winnetka Public Schools.

The design team understood they had to approach the project with exceptional sensitivity, performing the balancing act of respecting and honoring the existing building while meeting current needs. “While many aspects of education have changed, our commitment to delivering progressive educational experiences remains steadfast,” says Crow Island School’s principal Dr. Luke Livingston. “Play, outdoor time, and experiential learning are vital components of a well-rounded education, so our physical building plays a crucial role in supporting our work and, ultimately, benefiting our students.”

First, the growing school simply needed more space. In recent years, administrators brought in mobile classrooms to manage overflow. They also determined they needed dedicated rooms on the main level for music, language, and art; a new gymnasium; and spaces for students with diverse needs requiring specialized instruction in smaller settings. In the school’s early days, children used to go home for lunch, so the building had no cafeteria. As trends changed, the auditorium lobby served as an ad-hoc dining hall—far from ideal. The new scheme converts a small gymnasium into a multipurpose space that serves as a lunchroom. It also updates the library to meet contemporary technology needs and incorporate greater flexibility. Accessibility requirements are being addressed throughout and security and other systems updated. Retrofitting the existing building with air-conditioning is another big investment—by far what the community was most excited about, especially beneficial in the warmer months given the original expansive windows. “Gone will be the need to take popsicle breaks or rotate through the one or two spaces with cooler air,” Tess says.

The team designed the new addition to connect to the 1954 extension, instead of the original building, complementing its look and feel. Detailed discussions with the school, the state Historic Preservation Commission, and preservation architects led to critical decisions about brickwork patterns and colors, the selection of an aluminum window system, and casework details. Taken together, they contribute to a new wing that does not pretend it had always been there but, rather, harmonizes with its precedents.

Inside, the team took cues from strategies that worked well in the original building, like emphasizing access to the outdoors and replicating the open corridor workspaces, which support a collaborative environment and experiential learning opportunities. Most importantly, the school wanted to build on its powerful aura. “That has meant doing all we can to ensure our school feels warm, welcoming, and connected to its families,” Tess says. “Crow Island exudes that feeling and will continue to.” Ground broke on the project last summer. Students are expected to enter the re-imagined building in fall 2025.

Always ahead of its time, the Crow Island School has long recognized the importance of collaboration in all aspects of its mission: for the growth of its students and for its own growth as an institution. “The expansion and renovation work has required strong communication, data tracking, and problem solving,” Tess says. “It has meant balancing design with utility and the budget. I’m confident we’ll get to the finish line together.”