As the interior architects for the Lincoln High School renovation and addition, we were tasked with creating fun, safe, and interactive learning environments primarily built within the existing envelope, under tight budgetary constraints. We used color as a source of wayfinding, giving each of the six wings different accent walls and floor tiles. This helps guide students without added costs of electronic signage and is a highly visual way to orient yourself within the large building.

Lincoln High School’s curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning with interactive learning spaces like a culinary kitchen, mechanic shop, engineering classroom, and even art studios. We built two-way display cases into the walls of many of the classroom spaces to showcase student work and bring life to the corridors.

School safety guidelines recommend indicating safety zones within classrooms in case of an intruder. With student mental health on everyone’s mind, we decided to work this into the floor pattern, utilizing accent tile colors in areas not visible from the doorways. This provides clear visual direction to students without alarming notifications in their learning spaces.