A 35,000-square-foot floor plate is massive; that its shape is not a perfect rectangle only adds to its complexity. To find a guiding concept and make sense of such a space, CQA takes the grid of the Elmhurst neighborhood and imposes it into the building (the podium’s mass itself was determined by the urban grid). The resulting lines trace the geometric logic of the city onto the floor plate, delineating blocks and circulation paths, echoing the diversity of students and teachers. These blocks become villages: a way to organize the school in clusters.

In close relationship with these villages, the Commons foster creative engagement among students from 30 different nationalities, transcending the boundaries of traditional classroom learning. The very heart of CQA, each Commons has a distinct identity, featuring playful yet non-prescriptive elements: green ‘grass’ turf floors for jumping up and down; a 20-foot-long white board that doubles as a movie screen; amphitheater seating with nooks for books and shoes; and a Crossroads Commons for informal conversations with faculty and friends on the way to class.