A glimpse at Rogers Partners' Building of the Year-winning Henderson-Hopkins Public School

Here's a little design inspiration for the start of the week. Rogers Partners' Henderson-Hopkins School was publicly voted as World Architects' Building of the Year 2014 and Editor's Pick. Designed by Rogers Partners after winning a 2011 competition and run by Johns Hopkins University with Morgan State University, the school is Baltimore's first new public schol in the past 30 years.

Considered to be a major highlight in the redevelopment of East Baltimore, the $42 million, 125,000 sq.ft K-8 school has -- unsurprisingly -- received numerous design awards and recognition in recent months.

"According to the Baltimore Business Journal, in a January 22nd meeting, during a review of new school designs under consideration by the City of Baltimore, members of Urban Design & Architecture Review Panel (UDARP) made comments that pushed for more open, civically engaging schools."

"Panel members urged architects to avoid designing 'fortress-like' schools, opting instead for extroverted, transparent buildings that engage the community. Rogers Partners’ open, modern design mirrors the neighborhood's urban fabric."

"While most elementary schools are single buildings, the Henderson-Hopkins School is a cluster of “containers for learning” inspired by East Baltimore’s row houses, stoops and social civic spaces."

"Its campus is a microcosm of the city: students are grouped by age in small-scale Houses that are bisected by main streets and side streets."

"Each House has a Commons used for dining and flexible teaching/learning and a defined outdoor Learning Terrace. This decentralizing strategy promotes individual learning and growth, rare for public education"