Acorn School Programming & Concept Design

The Acorn School, a child and family center, is proposed to be a new early education facility for children of Vanderbilt students, faculty, and staff, ranging from 3 months to 5 years old. The program is run in partnership with the Peabody College of Education, contributing to and benefiting from their Early Childhood Education research. The new facility will consolidate the school's operations, currently housed in three separate buildings, into one new structure on an urban site adjacent to Vanderbilt’s main campus. The design focuses on creating a harmonious connection between the building, the site, and its occupants. Reflecting Vanderbilt’s academic mission and values, as well as the Acorn School’s goal of being a Reggio-inspired institution, the project aims to incorporate the nature-focused learning curriculum into its design. The school's pedagogy emphasizes the built environment as the "third teacher" in the children's development. Additionally, the project is pursuing Living Building Challenge certification and, once completed, will be the first fully certified project on the Vanderbilt campus.