Building the School of the Future by School of the Future

About this project

We are BUILDING the School of the Future.
All we need are the materials.

SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE
is an endeavour to UNSCHOOL EDUCATION.

LEARNING is EVERYWHERE
this SUMMER it will take place in a PARK in BROOKLYN.

EDUCATION doesn't need WALLS,
but some STORAGE and WRITING SURFACES might help.

School is on this July in Sgt. Dougherty Park (Greenpoint, Brooklyn) for one month of unschool-programming organized by local artists. Classes, events, and experiments in the park all discuss and experiment with ideas about what school CAN and SHOULD be. The location of the school will be in a built structure that signifies a transformation in the park from 'public space' to 'learning place'.

For the last 4 months we have collaborated with a team of architects at Columbia Graduate School of Architecture and Planning including Jordan Carver, Alexis Burson, Kyle Hovenkotter, Estefania Pilatti, Christina Nguyen and Kate Cahill (with assistance from Janette Kim and Phil Anzalone) to design a portable school building that accents our first school site, a public park. Columbia has donated the design and the construction of the building, we are now seeking funding for our materials.

WHAT MATERIALS DO WE NEED?
Estimated needs: $1000
PLYWOOD
FIXTURES
BLACK BOARD PAINT
CASTER WHEELS
HARDWARE
PEG BOARD
MELAMINE
SAIL FABRIC
FINISHES/WATERPROOFING/PAINTS

The 'school building' will signify the transformation from park to a place of learning, alerting neighbors and passersby to the new addition to the function of the park. The focus of the design is to accentuate the best aspects of the park and to make simple additions that will improve the uses of the park for learning. This building will symbolize our dedication to experimental learning by offering a trustworthy physical support structure with storage, multiple use display and writing surfaces, a stage, and cafeteria.

How it Works:
May 1: The school opens to the public with the question ‘what do you want to learn?’. Submissions accepted at www.Schoolofthefuture.org until June 1.
June 1: List of learning desires are publicized. All are invited to respond to this list of learning needs as an art project, by leading an apprenticeship, or a class.
July 1: School is in session. Calendar of classes is publicized, emailed, delivered, and posted in the park.

Project location: New York, NY