As the Design Architect and Architect of Record, AHL designed the Arts & Innovation Center (AIC) to expand Le Jardin Academy’s campus with a facility that fosters creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning. The 15,000-square-foot facility supports the school’s Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Design, and Robotics programs, along with flexible classrooms and a central gallery for students to connect and showcase their work.
Located adjacent to the existing playfield, the building is carefully sited to respond to the contours of the land. By preserving the steep slope and minimizing grading, the design maintains open play areas while integrating naturally into the surrounding landscape. Rotated slightly west of the north-south axis, the building’s orientation helps mitigate prevailing winds for improved comfort. A welcoming plaza connects the parking area to the main entry and will serve as a link to future campus pathways.
Guided by Le Jardin’s value to Innovate for Positive Change, the design celebrates curiosity, collaboration, and creative thinking. The split roof form symbolizes an open mind and the school’s spirit of discovery. Standing seam metal roofing ties the new facility to the existing campus architecture, while the elevated east roof and clerestory windows bring natural light into the central gallery, creating a bright and inspiring interior.
Working within a defined budget provided an opportunity to highlight materials that are both efficient and expressive. Ground face CMU was selected for its durability, refined appearance, and low maintenance. A custom two-color mix arranged in a random pattern adds subtle variation and texture, giving the building a distinctive identity. Inside, the same material creates a cohesive and enduring finish that reflects the integration of structure and design.
The Arts & Innovation Center embodies Le Jardin Academy’s mission to inspire imagination, purpose, and learning through design—an environment that encourages students to create, collaborate, and innovate for positive change.
