Case Study: Manassas Park Elementary + Pre-K, Manassas Park, Virginia

By Alanna Malone

Richard Louv coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” in his national bestseller Last Child in the Woods to describe the current disconnect between children and the outdoors. According to experts, a new and growing body of research maintains that direct exposure to the natural world is essential for healthy child development. When VMDO Architects was commissioned for the 140,000-square-foot Manassas Park Elementary and Pre-School (MPES) in Manassas Park, Virginia, the design team used this philosophy to integrate the building with the surrounding ecosystem. With outdoor learning spaces, views of the forests, and building systems as “learning tools,” the school teaches environmental stewardship at every opportunity.