Check Mate

Ratcliff worked with the Seven Hills School to enhance the overall academic experience by creating a new educational environment that encourages growth and learning. As a means of supporting this mission, a human-size chess board was designed for the students. The scale of the board allows the students to actually become part of the chess set as they move from one place to another, offering a more dynamic form of play. Students are able to work in groups to collaborate on chess strategy, the head of school's favorite past time. This play feature, along with other outdoor programmed spaces like the climbing wall and archaeology dig, have allowed for a current recess climate that is much more serene than days when children were playing on the unimaginative blacktop.