Dean Mary Otto of the Oakland University School of Education and Human Services, a teacher herself, knows this. And her personal love of children and teaching is reflected in her vision for the new building and integrated into the design at every level.

“This building was to be the flagship for our school on campus,” said Otto. “We wanted to attract the best and brightest future educators, and provide a place where they could excel and maximize learning.”

inspired by a vision
The site selected for the project was challenging. Located on a hillside on the outer edge of the academic core of the Oakland University campus, it faces a vast natural preservation area containing forestland and extensive wildlife. Campus connectivity was balanced with spectacular views to nature, resulting in a unique facility that takes advantage of the best qualities of both the campus and the natural setting.

“The hillside site presented difficulties, but also an opportunity to focus on the surrounding natural beauty,” says David Rose, SHW’s lead designer. “The sloping site also allowed for private entries into the building at multiple levels for the different programs. We chose glass that captured the sun where it should, shielded it in other places and created looking glasses to the natural vegetation and wildlife of the area.”

a natural solution
As a result, the building looks comfortable in its surroundings, and sets a pace for the tone of the building’s many uses: adult therapy, education classes, childcare and faculty offices.

The piece that pulls the building together is the central glass atrium, which soars open and upward through the four stories, and is capped by a large clerestory.

The Lowry Early Childhood Education Center children play at the bottom of the atrium on cold or rainy days, and their voices carry throughout the building. When someone expressed concern that those voices would be distracting, the dean quickly put that to rest.

“Children’s voices are what motivates teachers to teach. Those voices should inspire us and remind us why we’re here,” says Otto.