Bahamas IB School Opens New Academic Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/23/21

The Lyford Cay International Baccalaureate School, located in Nassau, The Bahamas, has opened its newest academic building to students. Designed by Cooper Robertson, the 35,000-square-foot Gateway Building will house 350 students from sixth through twelfth grade. The facility is also the first completed step—and the intended centerpiece—of a new 17-acre Upper School campus currently under development.

The Gateway Building features facilities for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) instruction like teaching labs, music recital spaces, and art studios. The classic Bahamian architecture mixes indoor and outdoor learning spaces and offers cross-ventilation into interior spaces at a time when indoor air quality is of the utmost importance.

Lyford Cay International School Gateway Building

Each classroom is surrounded by a 12-foot veranda, and the building’s courtyards and landscaped grounds serve as additional teaching space. The indoor/outdoor hybrid environment was a deliberate choice on the architects’ part to promote student wellness and mental health.

“As one of the global educational community’s leading International Baccalaureate schools, LCIS has invested in a comprehensive and forward-looking campus vision that is a foundation of its continued success,” said John Kirk, AIA, partner at Cooper Robertson. “The Gateway Building exemplifies core principles of contemporary academic design: Great outdoor rooms, architecture that embraces its context and enhances the community, and innovative teaching facilities that respond to today’s students and administrators while anticipating the future."

The completed project also includes a free-standing, open-air dining pavilion; a gatehouse; fountains; and a compass rose. Principal David Mindorff called the project “an investment in a brighter vision for education in the Bahamas…These new facilities will allow us to continue providing the enriching learning experiences that have propelled LCIS forward from a small community school to a global leader in education.”

Future additions to the LCIS Upper School include a second academic building, athletics facilities, and a performing arts center. Renovations to the lower school like early learning classrooms and the construction of a 5,200-square-foot multipurpose building are also in the works.

Discussing the capabilities of the Gateway Building, Mindorff explained, “There are learning walls in each classroom that will allow teachers to work smoothly during technology-integrated lessons. The green spaces and forests of the campus are ideal for outdoor education and student-led environmental initiatives. Importantly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, having two campuses has allowed us to facilitate increased face-to-face opportunities for students.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • University of Kentucky Integrates New Cleaning Technology

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently installed a new cleaning system designed to improve cooling efficiency on campus, according to a news release. The Facilities Management’s Utilities and Energy Management Unit installed new chiller tubes into two of the chillers at the university’s Central Utility Plant.

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • California District Starts Construction on New Robotics Facility

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) near Silicon Valley, Calif., recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.

  • Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

    Furnishing the Future: Adaptive Solutions for Modern Learning Spaces

    On this episode of Schools in Focus, we'll talk about the role that classroom furniture plays in creating adaptive, flexible learning spaces. Our guest is Wesley Edmonds, the Director of Workplace, Adaptive Solutions at OFS.

Digital Edition