Masonry Magazine May 1974 Page. 8
Berkley School
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Located on 6.6 acres, the masonry-dominated Berkley School serves 420 elementary school students. Cheery children's art decorates interior brick columns.
In Arlington Heights, III., there is an educational facilty for 420 elementary students that Inland Architect magazine has described as "a modern one-room schoolhouse that opens up space and time." Three mason contracting firms have helped create the outstanding structure.
It is one of 37 schools from throughout the United States and one of the two Illinois schools selected for a Special Design and Planning Citation by the American Association of School Administrators at its 1971 Convention.
The facility is the Berkley School, 2501 N. Chestnut, designed by O'Donnell Wicklund Pigozzi, Architects, Inc. The International Masonry Institute (IMI) reports that the school was designed in three phases. The following mason contractors were involved: Phase 1 in 1969-Ceisel & McGuire; Phase 2 in 1971-Egyptian Construction Co., and Phase 3 in 1973-Joseph Szabo Contractor.
Architect L.J. O'Donnell explained that the masonry walls and stone trim of the steel-frame structure were chosen to blend visually with the surrounding residential area.
The building's low profile, sloping rooflines of varying degrees, and covered entrance supported by brick columns identify is as outstanding architecture. Easy maintenance has been achieved with exposed concrete block walls and exposed brick columns which give the interior an equally striking quality.
BM&PIU Local 21 district manager Robert Stonell remarked that the 25,493 sq. ft. structure has "a warm neighborhood atmosphere and a very pleasing appearance." This was an attribute desired by Dr. Donald V. Strong, school superintendent, and project architect Ray Pigozzi.
The $629,060 structure, sited on 6.6 acres, has a library resource core around which all academic, play, and administrative activities revolve. The central-core design features teaching areas or pods with easy access to a variety of teaching aids. The conference spaces in each teaching area permit a one-to-one relationship for teaching and teacher-parent conferences. Glass areas have been chosen carefully to "bring the outside in" and yet not masonry
May, 1974