We’re going back to Crow Island!
Built in 1940, Crow Island School is recognized as the first modernist school in the United States. Its innovative design—a collaboration between progressive educators and architectural icons Perkins, Wheeler and Will, Eliel Saarinen, and Eero Saarinen—redefined elementary education through its tactile materials, low scale, and deep connection to the outdoors.
In 2025, Perkins&Will completed a highly sensitive renovation and addition to this National Historic Landmark. Docomomo US/Chicago and the AIA Chicago Historic Resources Knowledge Community are hosting a special tour of the campus to explore the new addition as well as the original school. Led by members of the design and construction team alongside historian Laurie Petersen, this walkthrough will explore the challenges of building onto such an iconic structure while maintaining the "aesthetic over utility" that has made Crow Island a symbol of architectural excellence for over 80 years.
Getting There: Crow Island School is located approximately 35 minutes north of downtown Chicago. It is accessible by car or via the Metra Union Pacific North line (Winnetka stop), located approximately one mile from the school.
Free for Docomomo and AIA members / $20 non-members
