As a monument to education, community involvement, and sustainability, Hubble Middle School (Warrenville, Illinois) marks one of the first American middle schools (grades 6-8) registered for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Schools^® certification.  The 17,651 m² structure, clad predominately in brick and prairie stone, conveys a 21^st century learning environment with its curved front wall, floating glass volumes, clerestories, and flat roofs.

Edwin Hubble, the school’s namesake, invented the telescope. Consequently, the client sought a design that would celebrate nature and encourage exploration.  It also wanted the facility to support the school’s unique program, encourage student teamwork, and embrace the surrounding Chicagoland communities of Wheaton and Warrenville.  These needs, compounded with a challenging site, drove the design.  Rectilinear geometries, transparent elements, and prominent vegetation suggest economic responsibility and openness, while balancing contemporary technologies and the natural environment.  The school is conceived as a sustainable teaching tool where students and community converge.

A glass-clad bridge, defined by bright white fascias and columns, physically and metaphorically links the facility’s academic and community functions.  Housing a multi-use art lab on the first floor and a library on the second, the bridge offers views of the “nature observatory” that passes beneath it, as well as the green roof that tops the administrative offices.

Each floor of the three-story classroom building offers 10 classrooms, 6 special education classrooms, 2 science labs, and a faculty team room.  Located off the classrooms, extended “collaboration zones” encourage team teaching and cooperative learning.

All of the public facilities, many of which enable after-hour use for the local community, are located in the one-story main building.  Its key spaces include a cafeteria/commons that seats up to 340, a 500-seat auditorium, faculty offices, large and small gyms, a fitness center, a health classroom, and separate classrooms for band, music, orchestra, and drama.  Within the commons, a smaller stage with a platform adorned with decorative stone panels salvaged from the original Hubble Middle School functions as both a small performance space, and an intimate gathering area before and after performances.

An agreement with the local park district will allow residents to schedule use of the majority of the facility.  The auditorium, for instance, will be available to other district schools, as well as local theater groups and organizations. The fitness center, featuring tall windows, clerestories, and an exposed ceiling, will open to community members during non-school hours.

Client: Wheaton Warrenville Community Unit School District 200

Start of design: 2007

Start of construction: 2008

Completion: 2009

Floor area: 17,651 m²

From its curriculum-responsive outdoor areas to the high-performance systems within, Hubble Middle School sets a standard for energy-efficiency and environmental respect.  Dr. Richard Drury, superintendent of Wheaton Warrenville Community Unit School District 200, says, “Hubble Middle School and its LEED for Schools certification put Wheaton and Warrenville on the map as innovators in educational facilities that are healthy, comfortable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective.”  Sustainable features include: energy-efficient mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems; drought-resistant landscaping; green and reflective roofs; and permeable parking lots that reduce and filter water run-off.

Patrick Brosnan, president/CEO of Legat Architects, says, “This building will train future generations to respect the environment and the natural resources it provides for our use.”  The school’s green features support the curriculum: science and art teachers can use the learning gardens, outdoor studios, green roof, and surrounding wetlands to enhance their lessons.