THE DESIGN OF THE HEATHCOTE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS INVESTIGATED IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATIONS IN DESIGN, AND SPECIAL FEATURES OF INTEREST. THE PLANNERS OF HEATHCOTE WERE COMMITTED TO TWO FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION--ONE DEALING WITH THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH CHILDREN LEARN BEST, THE OTHER DEALING WITH THE PROCESS OF LEARNING. THE BUILDING'S DESIGN, FROM ITS PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS TO THE QUANTITY AND ARRANGEMENT OF ITS FACILITIES, FLOWED FROM THESE TWO EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES. THE PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS DEVELOPED BY THE PLANNERS WERE BROADLY THESE--A BEAUTIFUL PLANT ATTRACTIVE TO THE EYE AND PLEASING TO ALL THE SENSES, THE ELIMINATION OF INSTITUTIONALISM, THE CREATION OF SEPARATE SMALL EDUCATIONAL NEIGHBORHOODS FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS ENABLING THE CHILD TO HAVE A SENSE OF IDENTITY WITH HIS OWN GROUP OF ROOMS, THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FLOW OF SPACE WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, FROM BUILDING TO BUILDING, AND FROM INDOORS TO OUTDOORS, IN ORDER TO ALLOW MAXIMUM FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND A MINIMUM NUMBER OF RULES, THE PROVISION FOR AMPLE SPACES, WITH SUCH FLUIDITY AND VARIETY WHICH WOULD BE ADAPTABLE TO THE GREATEST RANGE OF ACTIVITIES, THE USE OF INTERIOR FURNISHINGS AND EQUIPMENT WHICH EXABLE CHILDREN TO CONTROL THEMSELVES, AND THE USE OF THE OUTDOORS AS A RESOURCE CENTER THAT COULD BE INCORPORATED, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, INTO THE SCHOOL ITSELF. THESE DIRECTIVES WERE USED BY THE ARCHITECTS WHO DESIGNED THE SCHOOL. THE BUILDING WAS DECENTRALIZED WITH CENTRAL CORE AND SEPARATED CLUSTERS OF CLASSROOM.