The Elementary Institute of Science, San Diego, CA
Floor Art—Tells Unique Story at Elementary Institute of Science
The Elementary Institute of Science is ablaze with color, including colorful rubber floor tiles with intricate water-jet cut patterns. “As we planned this building,” explained Doris Anderson, EIS executive director, “we felt strongly that it needed to be a fun, exciting place for kids. It was important to us that instructional areas not look like typical classrooms and the facility not resemble a school.”
The result is a 15,000 square foot science enrichment facility that nurtures the intellectual curiosity of more than 300 children between the ages of 7 and 13, offering low-cost after school programs in biology, computer science, engineering and natural science. “Colors make the institute unique and stimulate the creativity of our children,” Anderson said. “Color is everywhere… right down to the floor with its colorful patterns and original artwork.”
The artwork, a series of large, colorful mosaics, made from norament 925 lago and norament 925, directs children throughout the building, tells the story of EIS and allows children to walk on art. In the Riverwalk corridor, large turtles designed in the floor direct children to the learning center’s 500-gallon freshwater aquarium.
Children using the building’s two spiral staircases can’t miss two large medallion floor designs at the base of each stairway. The “Circle of Friends” medallion, a ring of ethnically diverse children, mirrors the diversity of the learning center. A second medallion, “Bees in the Honeycomb,” is a tribute to founder Tom Watts, who kept a beehive at the center’s former location. The fourth work of art, a sun with the rings of the galaxy, is positioned outside the astronomy.
8,500 square feet of nora products cover the corridors, labs, lobby and stairways of the learning center, offering advantages of durability and ease of maintenance. The flooring product also features slip resistance, sound-reducing properties and underfoot comfort, making it ideal for classroom and corridor applications.
According to Anderson, everyone loves the art on the floor. “It helps tell the story of EIS so well.”
Download Project Profile PDF
Contact Information
nora systems, Inc.
9 Northeastern Blvd.
Salem, NH 03079
USA
Toll-Free: 800-332-NORA
Tel: (603) 894-1021
Fax: (603) 894-6615
E-mail: info-us@nora.com
