New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Early Childhood Program Facility

Elementary Schools | Middle Schools | High Schools | Specialized Educational & Administrative Facilities

This 37,000 square-foot preschool for blind and visually impaired children was designed to support student mobility, safety, and independence through a multi-sensory design.

Teaching spaces are arranged in three clusters, each consisting of four classrooms, shared focus rooms, and a common space with a kitchenette, storage, and a changing area.  The design team worked closely with the school to establish the program of these spaces and to design the cluster configuration to provide a highly functional arrangement that creates a sense of place and opportunities for combined teaching.  The interior design creates identity for each of the classroom clusters and provides wayfinding through the use of distinct tactile surfaces, accent colors, and changes in natural lighting, materials, and acoustics along the main corridor.  

Exterior courtyards separate the clusters and provide access to multi-sensory site features that encourage exploration and play, such as soft surfacing, specialized playground equipment, a bicycle track, and a sensory garden. 

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Size: 37,000sf