Bloomington, Ill, elementary's ultra-modern design endures after 60 years

From The Bloomington Pantagraph: Oakland Elementary School, which opened in Bloomington Ill., in 1951, had a low-slung, glassy “ultra-modern” look that stood in stark contrast to the district’s older buildings. The school is of further architectural interest because of its many similarities to the landmark Crow Island School in Winnetka, Ill. The finished Oakland School, with its emphasis on “long, low lines and plenty of light and air,” featured a sleek sunlit lobby that doubled as a lounge; an all-purpose room that served as gymnasium and auditorium; and two wings, one with six classrooms for first- through sixth-graders, and the other for kindergarteners. Since its opening, Oakland School has more than doubled its footprint by adding two more classroom wings, a gymnasium and more. Despite the many changes, the 1951 part of the building maintains much of the original modernist vision.