The interior design team at CSArch recently introduced seven pilot classrooms at Warrensburg CSD in advance of a $13.5 million capital project. Developed through CSArch’s Furniture Pilot Program, the classrooms allow the district to test a variety of flexible furniture options before making a significant financial investment.
The shift toward active learning in the 21st century is driving significant changes in educational design. As schools move away from traditional, lecture-style instruction with one-directional rows of desks, the physical classroom space has evolved to support more collaborative, innovative, and flexible program delivery.
Flexible furniture selection plays a significant role in the adaptability of a classroom space to support different teaching and learning styles. But how does a district decide which furniture options are best for multiple teachers with diverse groups of learners?
The leadership team at Warrensburg CSD asked this same question when thinking about the design of their future CTE classroom, science labs, and collaboration workshop. To test a variety of furniture options without making a significant financial investment, the district introduced pilot classrooms through CSArch’s Furniture Pilot Program. The Furniture Pilot Program allows districts to “test drive” a variety of furniture solutions from multiple vendors on a trial basis. Given the vast number of furniture styles, colors, and materials available, teacher preferences, and differences in student learning needs, the pilot program makes it easy for districts to confidently choose furniture solutions based on actual experience.
Featuring soft bench seating, round and rectangular group tables, arched hightop tables, various seating options, and moveable desks, the pilot classrooms at Warrensburg CSD will be tested over a one year period to gauge student and teacher preferences before making the final selections.
