District Dedicates New Hamilton Elementary School

September 2, 2015 1932 Views classroom design, Eastern U.S., medical office, Premiere Works, Steve Fountaine, The Hon Company, Urbahn Architects

MOLINE, Ill. — A ribbon cutting marking the official opening of the new Hamilton Elementary School in Moline coincided with the school’s first day of classes on Aug. 18. As the Moline-Coal Valley School District’s first new school in the city in five decades, Hamilton nearly quadruples the size of its 100-year-old predecessor and will house up to 600 K-5 students, according to a statement by the district.

The new 78,000-square-foot school was designed by Chicago-based Legat Architects and built by Russell Construction of Davenport, Iowa. Feedback from a series of collaborative community planning sessions helped develop the design,

“The new Hamilton is a testament to this community’s commitment to education and to the future of our children,” said Superintendent Lanty McGuire in a statement. “Its spaces and technologies give our teachers more opportunities to make a difference, while its flexibility allows us to adapt to the inevitable changes in the coming years.”

One of the school’s defining features is the Learning Stair, a wide staircase that ascends to a brilliant green-colored wall in a space flooded with natural light. The space is the first of its kind in the area and caters to a variety of learning experiences. It is also located adjacent to the two-story media center, providing extra space for students to read, study or listen to presentations. The Learning Stair is also equipped with a projector and screen for multimedia presentations.

Hamilton Elementary further distinguishes itself by promoting teacher versatility, student interaction and movement, and creativity, according to a statement by the district. The school features both a non-traditional floor plan and unique building materials as well as bold hues and flexible learning spaces that can be easily reconfigured.

Glass walls were used throughout the facility, particularly in common spaces, and each classroom features a wealth of new technology. Interactive Smart Boards are available in every classroom and an integrated audio-visual system connects different technologies. Flexible furnishings can accommodate groups large and small, and sliding doors between classrooms offer teachers a variety of ways to engage the spaces. A collaborative space known as the Imaginarium and a STEM-ready (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Discovery Lab were also included in the design.

“I was very impressed by parents’ and teachers’ dedication to the planning and design of this facility,” said Legat’s Jeff Sandberg, project manager and regional manager of the firm’s Quad Cities studio, in a statement. “The result is an open, inviting facility with discovery and collaboration at its heart.”

Sustainability was also a priority for the district, and the new Hamilton Elementary School will receive utility company rebates due to its energy-efficient HVAC system and LED lighting, according to a statement by the district. It is also designed to achieve a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star rating of 85 (based on a 1 to 100 percentile rating).

“It’s difficult, if not impossible, to predict what the world is going to look like ten years from now . . . what the job market will be like,” said Todd Williams, Hamilton principal, in a statement. “What we can count on, however, is that the students graduating from Hamilton Elementary School will be well on their way to becoming productive members of that world.”