ST. BENEDICT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Chicago, Illinois
Running along the perimeter of this urban Catholic K-8 school located in Chicago, Illinois are three distinct Village Play areas that demonstrate GRG’s ability to transform small spaces into unique, imaginative play areas. The three spaces include a Dr. Seuss themed playscape, a memorial garden commemorating two students lost in a tragic accident, and an outdoor classroom.
The Dr. Seuss space highlights whimsical elements from Oh The Places You’ll Go, including Lorax trees, elephants, colorful PIP “balloons” rising from the ground, a curvy-roofed playhouse, and bamboo quotation plaques from this beloved children’s classic.
Around the corner of the building lies an entirely different world of nature. This memorial garden features a blue pebble waterway, willow tunnel, a custom cedar curved-bench, a painted “post forest” and, with a closer look, limestone boulders engraved with words from the Prayer of St Benedict in memorial to the two girls and the school they loved.
Down the block from the memorial garden, the final space is an outdoor classroom, featuring a strawberry tower, honey-comb raised garden beds, bird houses, a trellis arbor. Black Locust seating stacks and spires round out this dynamic outdoor learning space.
