F.A.I.R. Arts Middle School
Crystal, Minn.
Hammel Green and Abrahamson, Inc.

Pastel colors and childlike whimsy shape this school for the arts

© Don F. Wong Photography

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

In the fall of 2000, a consortium of ten school districts including Minneapolis and its western suburbs opened a fourth-to-eighth grade arts magnet school. The goal of the consortium was to foster diversity in the public schools, to create a laboratory for training, and a model for good practice.

The curriculum for the Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource School (F.A.I.R.) 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 were dance, music, theater, visual arts, media arts, and literary arts. The building contains specialized and flexible studio spaces for all of these.

The design goal for F.A.I.R. was to create an energetic and exuberant school that celebrates learning through the arts. The animated exterior is anchored by three 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 its mission to fully immerse the children into the arts, which are embedded in the curriculum, the philosophy, and the architecture.

Formal name of Project:
Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource School - F.A.I.R. Arts Middle School

Location:
Crystal, Minn.

Gross square footage:
107,000 sq. ft. (renovated existing); 114,000 sq. ft. (new construction)

Total construction cost:
$12 million

Owner:
West Metro Education Program, Robbinsdale School District

Architect:
Hammel Green and Abrahamson, Inc.
701 Washington Avenue North
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403
612-758-4000 (phone)
612-758-4199 (fax)
www.hga.com