{"id":410,"date":"2025-06-01T19:30:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T19:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/?p=410"},"modified":"2025-06-03T11:40:38","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T11:40:38","slug":"colored-louvers-wrap-around-los-angeles-elementary-schools-curved-exterior-by-jfak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/2025\/06\/01\/colored-louvers-wrap-around-los-angeles-elementary-schools-curved-exterior-by-jfak\/","title":{"rendered":"colored louvers wrap around los angeles elementary school\u2019s curved exterior by JFAK"},"content":{"rendered":"

curved geometries shape Wonderland Elementary School by JFAK<\/h2>\n

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John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects (JFAK) takes over the design of the Wonderland Elementary School in Los Angeles<\/a><\/strong>. The new kindergarten addition consists of two new classrooms, support spaces, and outdoor learning areas, designed for an existing hillside public school<\/a><\/strong>. The project incorporates a sculptural building form intended to facilitate early childhood learning through spatial variety and environmental engagement.<\/p>\n

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The structure presents a restrained profile to the adjacent residential context. Around its exterior, a series of colored louvers provides shading and visual articulation. Facing the interior of the school campus, the building form transitions into curved geometries that introduce spatial dynamism. A large roof overhang extends outward to offer protection from sun and rain, establishing a semi-sheltered outdoor zone that supports informal gathering and extended learning activities.<\/p>\n

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all images by\u00a0
Benny Chan\/Fotoworks<\/a><\/p>\n

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large skylights bring natural light to the school\u2019s interior<\/h2>\n

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Studio\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects (JFAK) design follows principles of environmental sustainability and meets Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Verification standards. The classrooms are oriented to optimize natural daylight and include controlled views toward the campus, surrounding neighborhoods, and nearby wooded areas. Ceiling sections remain partially open, allowing visibility into the mechanical and structural systems to support educational curiosity.<\/p>\n

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Top-lighting strategies include the use of large skylights and solar tubes to minimize reliance on artificial lighting and enhance interior daylight quality. Additional features include custom-designed storage units, integrated reading areas, and low-height seating beneath the extended roof edge, scaled appropriately for early learners. A central roof aperture equipped with colored polycarbonate fins introduces filtered light that shifts with the sun\u2019s position, producing varied color effects throughout the day. The project integrates architectural expression, environmental performance, and educational function in a cohesive design tailored for early childhood learning environments.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Wonderland Elementary School is located in Los Angeles, California<\/p>\n

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the large sweeping roof overhang provides shade from the sun and shelter from rain<\/p>\n

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the mass of the building gives way to playful swoops facing the campus interior<\/p>\n

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colorful louvers wrap around the school\u2019s exterior facade<\/p>\n

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colored polycarbonate fins above a large roof opening create transitory rainbows of colored sunlight<\/p>\n

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the structure presents a restrained profile to the adjacent residential context<\/p>\n

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the project also adds a learning garden to the elementary school<\/p>\n

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the project creates playful, inspiring, sustainable learning spaces that connect to nature and strengthen community<\/p>\n

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large skylights and solar tubes minimize reliance on artificial lighting and enhance interior daylight quality<\/p>\n

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custom colorful storage cubbies are designed with young learners in mind<\/p>\n

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project info:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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name:<\/strong>\u00a0Wonderland Elementary School Kindergarten Classroom Building and Learning Garden<\/p>\n

architects:<\/strong>\u00a0John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects (JFAK)<\/a><\/p>\n

location:<\/strong> Los Angeles, California, United States<\/p>\n

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client:<\/strong> Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)<\/p>\n

general contractor:<\/strong> Geronimo Concrete, Inc.<\/p>\n

principals-in-charge:<\/strong> Alice Kimm, John Friedman<\/p>\n

project manager:<\/strong> Lauren Rath<\/p>\n

design team:<\/strong> Jin Hong Kim, Lolade Frankel<\/p>\n

structural engineer:<\/strong> Nabih Youssef & Associates (NYA)<\/p>\n

civil engineer:<\/strong> VCA<\/p>\n

MEP engineer:<\/strong> MEDG<\/p>\n

landscape architect:<\/strong> Office of the Designed Landscape (OotDL)<\/p>\n

acoustics:<\/strong> Waveguide<\/p>\n

specifications:<\/strong> Yagade Consulting, Inc.<\/p>\n

cost estimation:<\/strong> MGAC<\/p>\n

commissioning:<\/strong> Alliance Project<\/p>\n

photographer:<\/strong>\u00a0Benny Chan\/Fotoworks<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0@benny_chan_photographer<\/a><\/p>\n

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designboom has received this project from our\u00a0<\/i>DIY submissions<\/i><\/a>\u00a0feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers\u00a0<\/i>here.<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom<\/i><\/p>\n<\/article>\n

The post colored louvers wrap around los angeles elementary school\u2019s curved exterior by JFAK<\/a> appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

curved geometries shape Wonderland Elementary School by JFAK \u00a0 John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects (JFAK) takes over the design of the Wonderland Elementary School in Los Angeles. The new kindergarten addition consists of two new classrooms, support spaces, and outdoor learning areas, designed for an existing hillside public school. The project incorporates a sculptural building […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=410"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":423,"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410\/revisions\/423"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itc-ns.nl\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}