Hayley Costello

project statement

Outdated design strategies in American schoolyards and historic land-based inequities continue to disproportionately burden BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) communities. At Park Avenue Elementary School, this is especially pronounced: while asphalt was used during cleanup efforts to address the site’s history as an unregulated dump, this surface merely masks deeper issues rather than fully remediating the land. With the children, and all occupants of the land in mind, this design transforms the schoolyard from an anthropogenic mess into a wild (+ peaceful) classroom, in nature.

goals

Reconnection - this design recognizes the inherent relationship between humans and nature. a relationship that is neither capitalistic nor exploitive, but rather based in reciprocity. it acknowledges Indigenous peoples as stewards of the land since time immemorial and fosters future stewardship within the students of park avenue elementary.

Community Uplift - this design acts as an inclusive space that actively dismantles systemic inequities and provides space for marginalized voices. outdoor classrooms invite Indigenous teachers, Hispanic and Latino/a/x teachers, and others to educate students and provide space for community connection.

Nature as teacher - directly witnessing cycles of life within the natural world teaches us the lessons of reciprocity and interconnectedness. utilizing the schoolyard as an extension of the classroom puts students in daily contact with these lessons, teaching them to be environmentally aware.