The Modern American School
Raymond Viner Hall would design 10 high schools and elementary schools in Northwestern Pennsylvania over his career. Beginning in 1949, he pursued an interest in bringing modernism to school design, using the principles of Organic Modernism to create environments that would allow learning to flourish. Again, he returned to his favorite material —glass block — that let natural light flow into what would normally be darkened corridors, without the distraction of outside views. He used open floor plans to enhance a natural traffic flow to create a noninstitutional environment. In place of stonework, he adopted cast sculptural block. Raymond would share these ideas at architectural forums around the country. Most of these schools are still in use today.
