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Marygrove Early Education Center, an integral part of a neighborhood trying to revive

Marlon Blackwell Architects

Education  /  Completed
Marlon Blackwell Architects

In the fall of 2018, The Kresge Foundation unveiled a new cradle-to-career educational partnership on the former campus of Marygrove College in the Livernois-McNichols district in northwest Detroit. Collectively known as the P-20 Partnership, the innovative education model features a new state-of-the-art early childhood education (ECE) center, K-12 school, and undergraduate and graduate studies opportunities. The Marygrove Early Education Center (Marygrove EEC) will be home to programs that support up to 150 students ages birth through five years of age. Students come from the local neighborhoods and reflect the diversity of the community. The Center’s design supports the Provider’s whole-child focus, with spaces to support physical, intellectual, and social development.

The Marygrove Early Education Center is set on the former Marygrove College campus which is 7 miles northwest of downtown Detroit. Located just east of the flagship, four-story Tudor Gothic liberal arts building from 1927, the Marygrove EEC is both resonant and deferential, clad in terra-cotta within a low but distinct profile that is scaled to the residential neighborhood nearby. The EEC sits between an existing grove of large trees to the south that serves as an outdoor play area and a new parking area to the north with a large open field beyond.

The EEC exceeds energy code requirements and employs a variety of sustainable building systems, including a geothermal system that provides radiant floor heat while significantly reducing energy usage. Classrooms and workspaces are set along the perimeter of the building to ensure ample daylight while courtyards bring daylight into the interior, further reducing the need for artificial lighting. Energy consumption within the systems of the building is automatically controlled based on occupancy and amount of daylight. Detroit endures significant flooding events due to development and climate change. Marygrove EEC was one of the first projects in Detroit to follow the Stormwater Management Ordinance, reducing combined sewer overflows in compliance with federal regulations.

The Marygrove Early Education Center (Marygrove EEC) is a state-of-the-art early childhood education center located on the campus of Marygrove College in the Livernois-McNichols district of northwest Detroit. Marygrove EEC supports 150 students from local neighborhoods up to five years of age. The Marygrove EEC extends the legacy of Marygrove as a beacon of education and contributes to its ongoing efforts to revitalize the surrounding neighborhood. Referring to the detail and heft of materials used in the Marygrove EEC’s neighbors and the broader memory of historic masonry structures in Detroit, the facade represents a progressive twenty-first-century application of terra cotta, a traditional building material. Colorful highlights are interspersed throughout the facade, providing a second layer of articulation that reflects the vibrancy of the children inside and the diversity of the surrounding community. Three courtyards bring abundant natural light inside and highlight the journey from the entrance to the classrooms. Adjacent to the building entrance are resources for families and the community of caregivers within the neighborhood, which includes a Parent Lounge, Community Room, and the Flex Space. At the heart of the building, beside the central courtyard, is an informal community gathering space for school performances, meetings, and events. Each classroom has a view to the landscape, and south-facing rooms open directly into a grove of trees, a natural play space.

“I tear up every time I’m there because it is a dream come to life for a young child in Detroit. The design team imagined what a transformational space would look like, one that would demonstrate dignity for young children. It’s just magnificent and an integral part of a neighborhood trying to revive.” Wendy Lewis Jackson Managing Director, Detroit Program The Kresge Foundation

Credits

 Detroit
 Michigan, USA
 The Kresge Foundation
 Early childhood education (0-5 years)
 04/2021
 2681 sq. m
  22,077,604.00 $
 Marlon Blackwell Architects
 Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, Meryati Johari Blackwell, AIA, Justin Hershberger, AIA, Mari McLeod, AIA, Stephen Reyenga, Colby Ritter, Callie Kesel, Leonardo Lieva Rivera
 Barton Malow Builders
 Peter Basso Associates, SDI Structures, Giffels Webster, Heirdun Hoppe Associates, Intoto Studio, Margie Ruddick Landscape, TM Light, Commtech Design, Studio NYL, McIntosh Group, Amy Baker Architect, Stephens-Bangs Associates
 Timothy Hursley

Curriculum

Marlon Blackwell Architects is an agile, full-service design firm located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Our belief that architecture can happen anywhere, at any scale, at any budget - for anyone - drives us to challenge the conventions and models that often obscure other possibilities. We use an economy of means to deliver a maximum of meaning in places where architecture is often not expected to be found.

Established in 1992, Marlon Blackwell Architects is committed to the value of design. Led by Marlon Blackwell, selected recipient of the 2020 AIA Gold Medal, we have a successful history of generating and implementing visions for multi-scale projects throughout the country. In every instance, we strive to express the richness of the places we work and the ideals of the people and institutions we serve.

Tag

#Finalist #Education  #Terracotta  #Marlon Blackwell Architects  #Michigan, USA  #Geothermal well  #Detroit   #Education facility 

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