NATURE-INFUSED SCHOOL COURTYARD
Flourtown, PA
An open-air learning environment that is both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically sound.
Nestled outside the school’s bustling cafeteria was a monotonous turf-covered courtyard that had long been underutilized.
The School’s desire to create an inspiring outdoor gathering space for their community members to connect with nature while meeting with one another led to a collaboration between STUDIO EDITION and Metcalfe Architecture + Design. We reimagined this hidden gem with a curated planting palette of native and locally adaptive plants, complemented by natural, warm touch materials such as loose pea gravels, exposed aggregate concrete paving, and custom wood seat benches and fences.
The result is a tranquil yet vibrant open-air outdoor learning environment, a nature-infused oasis that celebrates seasonal changes and offers sensory experiences at multiple scales for all who step foot in it.
Late Summer through Fall bloom native perennials such as Aster ‘Wood’s Light Blue’ are attractive to butterflies and other insect pollinators and a crucial late-season nectar and pollen source.
CREDITS
Lead Design Consultant
Metcalfe Architecture & Design
Landscape Design Consultant
STUDIO EDITION
Construction Contractor
MidAtlantic Construction, Inc.
Photography
STUDIO EDITION