2009 Design Award Winner

Fabyan Elementary School
Returning to a neighborhood school concept, Fabyan Elementary School is set among residential homes in the growing Geneva Community. Unique siting necessitated careful attention and planning through building design. A steeply sloped site required orienting the building as far north and west as possible to preserve green space and conserve the natural prairie between the school and homes to the south.

The 104,000 sf building is programmed along a “student street” main corridor with grade level academic wings to the north and shared and public use spaces to the south opening up to the playgrounds and fields. Building zones are stepped down the sloped site creating high ceilings in the cafeteria, art and music spaces. These two-story rooms with tall expanses of glass windows provide views of the play grounds, fields and natural open prairie. Playful windows on the second level frame interior views from the upper corridor and further allow natural light to penetrate the building.

Academic wings are angled to capture northern light in all team teaching commons areas. This angling effect also reduces the building’s overall width and maximizes the available playfields. Architects designed the landscaping with plantings, decorative fencings and hidden guardrails used as protective and sustainable features around dry detention basins, as well as to buffer traffic noise and protect children from busy thoroughfare along the site’s north end. An existing bike path was relocated to frame the site and permit the planting of a tree museum used to reduce roadside views of the school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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