The Greene School was designed based on the theories of Harvard scientist E.O. Wilson, whose "biophilia hypothesis" says humans have a built-in craving for nature.
That doesn't mean the school is a hippie den where kids miss out on math and science. Far from it. The Greene School incorporates STEAM curriculum (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) as well as hands-on, discovery-based learning.
It aims to achieve a balance, so its students come out well-rounded.
To do that, the school is made up of two main shared spaces: the piazza and the garden.
Located where a used car dealership once stood, the campus' design is meant to match the balanced approach found in the lesson plans.
"The idea of the Italian square as a welcoming gathering place has found new energy in the digital age, when each virtual relation is matched by the necessity of an encounter in the space," Carlo Ratti said in a press statement.
There's an almost Narnia-like quality to the school, as evidenced by the library in the woods.
That's not the only quirk of the Greene School, however.
Students can also satisfy their endless curiosities by visiting the makerspace "fab lab," where a suite of technologies, including 3D printers and modeling software, lets kids imagine and create.
There's also an organic garden to help kids learn about plants and the environment.
Ratti and his team wanted kids to have full access to these outdoor spaces, so each classroom opens directly out.
Ratti calls the design a "porous environment," meaning there are no fixed membranes between one location and another. Kids can float between them at will (provided they're not supposed to be in class).
While class is in session, high-tech whiteboards outfitted with mechanical arms can draw or write math problems.
The school is designed to create a strong sense of community between students, teachers, parents, and the natural environment in which it all takes place.
Ratti says education can reach its full potential when people interact with one another in collaborative spaces, and learn that caring for the environment is also part of that symbiosis.
"The more we can share spaces, collaborate and exchange ideas with each other, the more creative we get," he said.