P.K. Yonge laboratory school seeks input to shape vision for new 'campus of the future'
January 22, 2009
GAINESVILLE, Fla.—P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School has hired an international expert in school architecture to help plan and design a “revitalized campus” for the University of Florida laboratory school. Now, school director Fran Vandiver seeks input from the school community and “anyone else interested in shaping the vision of a prototype, state-of-the-art campus—not only for P.K. Yonge but for K-12 schools of the future in general.”
To launch the planning process, P.K. Yonge is hosting an interactive workshop, featuring a presentation and discussion led by lead architect Prakash Nair, on Monday, Jan. 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the school auditorium. P.K. Yonge, which opened at its current campus in 1958, is located at 1080 SW 11th Street.
Nair is president of Fielding Nair International (FNI), the award-winning planning and design consultant for the renewal and reconstruction of the P.K. Yonge campus. Vandiver said all workshop attendees will have the opportunity to interact with Nair and the planning team to contribute their thoughts and ideas on designing the elements of a “new and improved” campus for the K-12 lab school.
Throughout the week, Nair and his team will be conducting focus groups with P.K. Yonge school stakeholders—teachers, parents and students, and UF faculty members. The presentation and workshop on Jan. 26 is open to the public. Vandiver said “anyone interested in education” is invited to participate in creating the future of the P.K. Yonge campus.
“We all do a lot of talking about what should be done to improve education. It’s high time we did it,” Vandiver said. “It’s time to stop talking about the future and actually step into it. This plan, with this architect, on this campus—this is stepping into the future.”
The P.K. Yonge Laboratory School, as it was known then, first opened in 1934 on the UF campus, in what is now known as James W. Norman Hall, sharing the building with the College of Education. Within a couple decades the building had outgrown its lab school purpose, and the P.K. Yonge school moved to its current campus a few blocks southeast of the college campus.
Vandiver said progress in education will not only be achieved from within the classroom, but also will require changes to the classroom structure itself.
“We haven’t moved beyond the old one-room school house concept,” she said. “We’ve just been adding rooms.”
Nair is widely published not only in the field of architecture but in education circles, as well. Vandiver said his firm was chosen for the project because he views school design as an integral part of the education experience—not just providing space for the education technology required to prepare students for the future but as a multidimensional tool enhancing student engagement and participation.
Vandiver said Nair’s school designs incorporate the best of education theory, from the need for small learning community spaces to comfortable seats.
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CONTACTS
WRITER: Renée Zenaida, UF COE News & Communications, rzenaida@coe.ufl.edu
SOURCE: Fran Vandiver, Director, P.K. Yonge, Developmental Research School, franvan@pky.ufl.edu
