ATLANTA – SG Contracting Inc. cut the ribbon on Atlanta International School’s (AIS) new Primary School Learning Center on Aug. 30, 2018, establishing a space designed to enable the school’s mission to continue expansion.

Atlanta-based construction firm SG Contracting partnered with AIS in 2007 to work on multiple projects for the school.

Construction on the new learning center began on July 28, 2017 and was completed on July 27, 2018 with architectural firm Lord Aeck Sargent of Atlanta working on the project.

Atlanta International School is a Pre-K through 12 school known for its rigorous academic program, International Baccalaureate accreditation and a strong focus on preparing students for the future.

The overall goal of this project was to create a space that fosters collaborative learning options for students, starting at an early age.

The school seeks to facilitate the student’s learning endeavors by offering additional spaced that maintain connection and flexibility – essentially creating a foundation for creative and collaborative learning experiences.

Key design elements of the center include outdoor classrooms that open up opportunity for unique teaching methods, further expanding the creative minds of the students. The school also boasts shared work space areas in the corridors that can be used for multiple activities simultaneously.

“Flexible spaces are a huge trend in primary education today,” said Sachin Shailendra, president at SG Contracting Inc. “This new school was built around the idea that we should provide these adaptable spaces for students to learn. The student-centered design of this school promotes experiential learning at the highest degree. The outdoor classrooms, shared work areas, and the new courtyard provide many options for collaborative learning that we are seeing become the standard in education today.”

The school also provides several innovative technological features to guide students learning in the 21^st century.

These features include 75” 4k smartboards located in every classroom, allowing students to learn using the latest technology as well as using more traditional methods, like a white board.

There are charging carts for iPads used in every classroom and a key card security system and multidirectional cameras securing the school as well as every classroom.

Lastly, the new center presents a brand-new courtyard and outdoor classroom sport permeable pavers, allowing all rain water to simply drain through the ground and avoid large retention areas, allowing this space to be used for more purposes, including outdoor seating.

Staff feedback was heavily incorporated during the design and construction of this project with the staff involved in planning everything from the overall room layout, to where TVs and markerboards would be installed in the final space to the paint colors of the hallways.

“Every detail was a collaboration, down to the locks and coat hooks on the lockers, said Shailendra. “This joint process ensures that every aspect is intentional, and the building will fit multiple needs so it can be useful for decades to come.”

The post SG Contracting Cuts Ribbon for New Atlanta Learning Center appeared first on School Construction News.

ATLANTA — Construction broke ground on a new Primary School Learning Center at the Atlanta International School’s campus in Atlanta’s Buckhead district.

Comprised of several buildings, the AIS campus will not only include the new three-story learning center, but it will also gain a new 9,000-square-foot courtyard that will be used for outdoor classrooms. A new cafeteria will also replace the existing library on the second floor. SG Contracting is handling construction for the project, while Lord Aeck Sargent is serving as the architect — both of which are locally based.

School Construction News spoke with Sachin Shailendra, president of SG Contracting, to get an insider look at the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2018, and to see how this school continues to build upon its international model.

Q: What is the main goal of the project?

Shailendra: The purpose of this project is to allow one of the most recognized and highly rated International schools in the country to continue growing so students can have an even better academic and extracurricular spaces. In addition to growing the campus as a whole, this project will also give students in K-5 a larger and more collaborative space.

Q: What are the key design elements involved?

Shailendra: The project consists of a new cooling system, constructing a new three-story primary school building with an outdoor courtyard and demolishing the existing library space to make room for a new kitchen.

The key design elements of this project are the indoor learning spaces that transition seamlessly into outdoor classrooms, as well as multiple flex areas that can be used for a multitude activities at the same time.

Q: How does the new design incorporate 21st century learning trends?

Shailendra: In a society that promotes more and more “screen” time, outdoor classrooms are becoming more and more mandatory. Children often spend hours inside at school staring at a screen only to go home and repeat the process. Outdoor classrooms offer the ability to revert some of the strenuous eye exercise and supplement some strenuous physical exercises. The project also utilizes flex rooms, which are designed to give more control to teachers. If the math class needs a smart board and structured desks, it is available. If, 15 minutes later, the math class requires a large open, collaborative space for a group project, it is available. Equipped with rolling marker boards, mobile storage drawers, and makerspaces, this building will be ready for any lesson.

Q: How does offering both indoor and outdoor spaces enhance learning opportunities for students?

Shailendra: The indoor and outdoor spaces allow teachers and staff to transition any inside class into an outdoor adventure. This keeps students alert, attentive and engaged for longer periods of time, leading students to retain more information in every class, as well as provides a welcoming change of scenery. The transitioning of spaces also allows teachers and staff to pull from their surroundings more, showing students that the lessons they are being taught can and are being used in the everyday outside world.

The post Insider Look: Atlanta International School Builds Learning Center appeared first on School Construction News.