Tour of Special Services Building for Disabled Children

Last year’s projects for White Hutchinson included working on a new building for the Blue Springs (Missouri) School District that houses the early childhood program and the program for the severely disabled.  We partnered with a local design firm, Hollis + Miller Architects, to conduct interviews with teachers, parents, therapists and staff who work in the program before we worked on the drawings.   Designing a building for children with special needs is very complex, and even more so when the children range in age from 3 to 21 and have a variety of abilities.

It’s always interesting to hear what teachers and children like best about their new space.  One favorite of the teachers for the severely disabled is the adjustable diaper-changing table that moves with a push of a button.  A favorite of the speech therapist is the fact that rooms are very quiet, as we followed recommended classroom acoustic guidelines.  A favorite of the early childhood teachers is the spacious restrooms and newly furnished classrooms with ample space for everyone.  Our favorite is the cubbies we designed to hold specialized equipment such as leg braces, trachea, formula, communication devices and wheel chair trays.  Check out the slide show and discover what you like in the building by clicking here.