Kalamazoo Public Schools

The new Edison Elementary provides Kalamazoo Public Schools with fresh opportunities to deliver educational content to district students. The new facility serves as a pillar of the community and is a primary contributor to fostering the re-establishment and reinvention of the Edison neighborhood.

The design committee selected the theme of ‘Academic Industrial’ through early design meetings. This theme pays homage to Thomas Edison, who the building was named after. Opportunities throughout the building were created to express and highlight the ingenuity and aesthetic elements of the age of craft and invention. The two-story building features a natural Redland brick masonry veneer with gunmetal accents on the majority of the building. The brick is offset by large glass curtain walls. The industrial look continues inside the building, with exposed ceilings highlighting the roof deck and decorative wooden trusses.