Hansberry College Prep

A single-story addition, punctuated by three street-facing courtyards, quadruples the size of the former school building, redeveloping a site formerly pockmarked by broken pavement and abandoned foundations.

Instead of towering over the surrounding bungalows, the school’s unorthodox low profile dissolves into the neighborhood.

In an area previously characterized by decay, the school’s transparency to the street and the lushly planted courtyards boldly invite the neighborhood to take part in the regeneration and growth.

Inside, no learning space or corridor is exempt from supporting Noble’s mission to change the academic trajectory of every student who enters.

A 370-foot long hallway which straddles the courtyards, serves as a “college corridor”, where 435 college logos, geographically organized from end to end, emblazon hallway lockers surrounding a central alumni map.

The map, which depicts the US and an enlargement of the Midwest, is surrounded by digital displays which scroll the stories of current faculty and alumni. Hansberry students can read the abbreviated biographies of faculty or former students who may have faced hurdles similar to their own and succeeded to attend colleges identified on the map.

In contrast to typical district high schools, where similarly sized classrooms repeat along double-loaded corridors, a broad array of learning spaces were established. They range in size from a 12-student advisory to a 60-student lecture hall.

Many spaces were programmed for more than a single purpose to support diverse learning opportunities. Most important, enough spaces are provided so that students can meet with their four-year advisor twice a day, concurrently in groups no larger than 18.