Aspen explores regenerative spaces for young learners through architecture

Architectural experts Alan Ford, of Ford Architects, and Andrea Korber will discuss best practices for designing learning spaces for children during a talk and panel focusing on Ford’s newly published third book, “Creating the Regenerative School.”

Ford wrote the book along with collaborators Kate Mraw and Betsy del Monte. The talk will be from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2, at Explore Booksellers in Aspen.

The book highlights how to design learning environments that are “regenerative,” going beyond sustainability to be restorative for the “occupants, environment, and the community.”

“The idea is that you’re making it better,” Ford explained.

His newest publication spotlights the importance of projects like Aspen’s yet-to-be-built Burlingame Early Childhood Education Center, a project worked on by both Ford and Korber.

Megan Monaghan, co-manager of Kids First, said her organization initiated the Burlingame project in 2021 to address the community’s need for high-quality early learning programs.

“There are a lot of conversations about how you set up spaces for learning,” Korber said, owner of Land and Shelter. “It’s a subject a lot of people are talking about these days.” 

“What’s special about a case study of the Burlingame project is that it’s the only project represented in the book that is able to embrace all of the best practices discussed, aside from a geothermal system, which some of the other projects in the book have,” Ford said.

He and Korber are also working together on a scaled-down project for a little red school house in Snowmass. The final construction documents are in process and it’s projected to be completed by 2026.

Ford’s previous book that was published in 2007, “Designing the Sustainable School,” received international recognition and is still being used by architects today.

“I’m happy to have the chance to speak to the community about the project we’re working on with Alan because he’s just an incredible researcher and a wealth of knowledge, and it’s a joy to work with him,” Korber, a Carbondale architect, said.

“Every day we are doing something new. It’s a pleasure to share that with everyone else,” she concluded.