© Copyright 2004
McCool
and Associates, P.C.
A R C H I T E C T U R E A
N D P L A N N I N G , A P R O F
E S S I O N A L C O R P O R A T I O N
Undercroft Montessori
School
3745 South Hudson Ave., Tulsa, Oklahoma
Projected Construction Costs: $750,000
Undercroft Montessori School is a private K thru 8th grade school that specializes in the Montessori teaching methods where classes are small and grades are blended, allowing students to learn at a pace consistent with their needs. In late 1994, the school retained KLEINCO in partnership with MAPC to study and develop the design and budget costs to add a new, freestanding classroom building for the upper grade levels. This design concept would be used to begin fundraising activities. After meeting with the administration and staff, a program including three classrooms, observation rooms, storage and toilets was developed.
The existing buildings were modular, single story and clad in red painted wood siding with white trim, giving the campus the feel of an old single room school. The new building was to blend with the existing so MAPC's design responded with similar materials, shingle roofs, brick base, operable windows and a cupola to resemble a bell tower.
The cupola provided a natural light well into the commons area below which included a vaulted ceiling and open wood beams. This light, open space would be used for group activities, artwork display and side play/physical fitness when weather restricted outdoor activities. The design provided for the future addition of one additional classroom.
The entire design was rendered electronically to provided the school with a flexible artwork resource for publication and fund raising events. Hardcopy prints mounted on board, computer files and slides made presentation of the project very easy and portable.
