Learner’s Hall

The International School, a language immersion and International Baccalaureate elementary school in downtown Portland’s south waterfront area, just opened its new Learner’s Hall in August 2016, which Mahlum designed. The new building is comprised of 10 classrooms for fourth- and fifth-grade students with open work spaces to encourage collaboration and mingling between the school’s Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese immersion tracks.

Learner’s Hall is considered a major advancement for the school by creating an optimal learning environment, as well as fulfilling the school’s vision of becoming a center of excellence in multi-cultural education. The design was inspired by the school’s mission, which is focused on global citizenship. Small classes and international faculty provide a warm, multicultural environment. Students explore central themes and develop their own questions as they apply concepts and skills across a variety of subjects. Through this collaborative, constructivist approach, children gain deep understanding and learn the skills needed to acquire, organize, and communicate knowledge.