Showing posts with label social spaces. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social spaces. Show all posts

Thursday 18 May 2017

A Breath of Fresh Air

The rooftop terrace is an ideal way to bring a bit of the outdoors into the school while
optimizing our square footage.

Our new rooftop terrace reflects Greenwood’s commitment to the outdoors while creating an urban oasis for our community.

At lunchtime on the first truly hot day of spring, the terrace is filled with students enjoying the May sunshine. Most are eating lunch, while some are chatting quietly; later in the day, students on spares will head up to the fourth floor to study or read.

The rooftop terrace is an ideal way to bring a bit of the outdoors into the school while optimizing our square footage. Our LEED Gold certified expansion also includes a green roof, which covers 30% of our roof space.




Like all of the spaces in our new building, the rooftop terrace was designed with flexibility in mind. A variety of seating choices, including benches, picnic tables and cafe tables, give students options to match up with their use of the space. A sliding door connecting the terrace to our rooftop classroom turns the room into an indoor/outdoor space for science and Food and Culture classes. Teachers from other subjects have also used the ample seating on the patio to hold class outdoors.



Thursday 11 May 2017

Maximizing Spare Time

Study bars and cruiser tables placed throughout the school provide additional options for
students looking for that perfect study spot.

The value of our new study spaces is more apparent than ever as final evaluations approach.


To a senior student in May, a spare is a precious gift: a whole 75 minutes that can be dedicated to completing homework and preparing for upcoming year-end evaluations. But to do that, students need spaces conducive to quiet study and collaborative work that are accessible throughout the day.

A quick tour through the school at any time of day makes it clear that our students are making the most of the new spaces Greenwood has to offer. The Learning Commons is as busy as ever - the booths, tables and soft seating are frequently in use, and the three breakout rooms are popular group study areas. The second-floor breakout rooms adjacent to the Student Success Centre are constantly filled with students reading, working on their laptops or chatting quietly in groups. The study bars and cruiser tables placed throughout the school provide additional options for students looking for that perfect study spot.


The booths in our Learning Commons are frequently in use.


Our second-floor breakout rooms are constantly filled with students reading, working on
their laptops or chatting quietly in groups.



Friday 7 April 2017

The Perfect Spot


No matter what kind of social space our students are looking for - loud or quiet, in the thick of the action or slightly secluded - our expanded building has it.

It’s lunchtime, and a group of Grade 7 students is gathered near the reception area. They’ve pulled several couches and soft chairs into a circle and they’re chatting happily as they eat.

When asked what they like about this spot, they’ve got lots to say.

“It’s a bit quieter than it is right near the cafeteria,” one student says. “We find it easier to talk as a big group here.”

“We love all the natural light,” chimes in another. “And the chairs are so comfortable!”

Our Lodge has long been the social hub of the school, and it’s still as popular as ever. But when it comes to social spaces, students want - and need - options. Some days the buzz of the Lodge is just what they need, while on other days a bench near the window is what they’re looking for. Our new facilities give students the freedom to find a social space that fits their disposition and allows them to build friendships with their peers.









Thursday 9 March 2017

A Student-Centred Hub: The Lodge


Since Greenwood’s founding, the Lodge has been one of the school’s busiest spots - a place for students to eat, socialize and study. In the expanded building, the Lodge has become a central hub that gives students ready access to many essential services.

From the Lodge, students can seek advice from a guidance counsellor, purchase TTC tickets or Greenwood swag at the school store, pick up lunch, copy a document or seek IT support. And when they need downtime, the Lodge still provides plenty of room for students to chat with friends, fuel up for afternoon classes or play a game of chess.

The Lodge is busiest during lunchtime, of course, but older students on spares can often be seen grabbing a snack or studying by the windows in the Grad Lounge.






Thursday 10 November 2016

Strengthening Our Community with Social Spaces

Our second-floor social space is one of many designed to build community at Greenwood.

When we began planning our building expansion and renovation, one of the messages we heard loud and clear from students was that they wanted more social spaces - places to talk and laugh together at lunch, before school and during spares.

Our second-floor social space was designed with this feedback in mind and has been very popular with students since school started in September. Cruiser tables allow students to have a snack or a meal in small groups, while glass-walled breakout rooms encourage larger groups to gather. Many students also take advantage of this space to work quietly during spares or before and after school, and to meet with their teachers.

Overall, this new space is one of many at Greenwood that helps to build community.

 Cruiser tables allow students to have a snack or a meal in small groups or to complete homework.