F.A.I.R. Arts Middle School
Crystal, MinnesotaIn the fall of 2000, a consortium of ten school districts including Minneapolis and its western suburbs, opened a 4-8 grade arts magnet school. The goal of the consortium is to foster diversity in the public schools and create a laboratory for training and a model for best practices. The curriculum for FAIR is delivered in an integrated, interdisciplinary style with a continual emphasis on the Arts. The design of the facility was developed in tandem with the curriculum to ensure an alignment between philosophy and building function. The areas of focus for the Arts are Dance, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Media Arts and Literary Arts. The building contains very specialized studio spaces for these areas, as well as flexible studios. The design goal for FAIR was to create an energetic, exuberant school that celebrates children learning through the Arts. The animated exterior is anchored by 3 academic brick boxes with juxtaposed colorful, metal-clad Arts studios. The studios and classrooms are all flooded with natural light. The main corridor arcs through the school and almond-shaped central heart of the school, creating a clear and dynamic circulation. The design of the school supports and encourages the school's mission to fully immerse the children into the Arts. Arts are embedded in the curriculum, the philosophy and the architecture.