As part of a district-wide master plan implementation for Champaign Schools, BLDD brought the International Prep Academy (IPA) to life. This transformational educational environment supports diverse students in learning through future-focused methods. Intentional features like operable walls and flexible seating facilitate collaboration and project-based learning, while bilingual teams and faculty can share students without leaving the classroom area.
At IPA's heart is a two-story commons space serving as a multipurpose hub. This open gathering area hosts sporting and cultural events, serves as a dining space, and transforms into a performance venue with a tiered seating area and stage access. The upper commons overlooks the stage and provides access to a large media center, home to a bilingual library supporting the school's diverse student community.
Awarded 2023 Exhibition of Educational Environments Honorable Mention
- Two-story, multi-use commons space
- Dedicated spaces for ESL, intervention and special programs
- Large media center with bilingual library with space for 15,000 volumes
- Dedicated art spaces with kiln and gallery
- Flexible furniture, operable walls and collaboration spaces
Mattoon school district's LIFT (Leaders Innovating for Tomorrow) houses a regional innovation center for the surrounding 28 school districts in the area.
Unsure of whether to remodel their historic middle school, build new on the existing site near their current high school, or build new on a different site, the Maroa-Forsyth School District reached out to get community input via BLDD's community engagement process.
Following a successful year-long master planning process, designed to address concerns of aging infrastructure and facility inequities, Lanphier High School was identified as a top priority for revitalization among the district's three high schools.