JoAnn Wilcox
PartnerMithunJoAnn combines sensitive listening and agile problem-solving skills to craft innovative and rigorous architectural solutions that influence national K-12 education design. For almost 30 years and on over 70 schools, she has focused her practice and research on design for life-long learning, collaborating closely with students and educators to co-create spaces that amplify curriculum, maximize resources, foster community belonging, strengthen student agency and uplift learning outcomes. Through robust community engagement, JoAnn’s design approach weaves empathy and advocacy, and works to bring each voice to the table—creating equitable, high-performance environments rooted in social justice and sustainable well-being. She has received over 60 design awards, including the 2019 AIA Institute Honor Award for Arlington Elementary and a national AIA Young Architect Award for her leadership and professional contributions. JoAnn serves on the AIA Committee on Architecture for Education, contributes as a guest juror for the University of Washington College of Built Environments, and engages with civic issues through volunteering, mentoring, and lectures on regional and national levels.
Graduated Agency: Early Learning for Lifelong Curiosity
Designing for the future of learning begins with a deep understanding of the needs of our littlest learners as at the start of their educational journ
…Designing for the future of learning begins with a deep understanding of the needs of our littlest learners as at the start of their educational journey. The experiences children have during early childhood - from birth to eight - establish the found
…Designing for the future of learning begins with a deep understanding of the needs of our littlest learners as at the start of their educational journey. The experiences children have during early childhood - from birth to eight - establish the foundation for later learning and relationships. Outside of the home, the most time children have to establish this foundation is at daycare and school. Both Montessori and the schools of Reggio Emilia re
…Designing for the future of learning begins with a deep understanding of the needs of our littlest learners as at the start of their educational journey. The experiences children have during early childhood - from birth to eight - establish the foundation for later learning and relationships. Outside of the home, the most time children have to establish this foundation is at daycare and school. Both Montessori and the schools of Reggio Emilia refer to the environment as the "third teacher,” and in this session we will explore the ways in which intentional design can support learning in all domains and support student agency. This session will provide actionable insights for designers, educators, and administrators looking to create spaces that inspire, support, and engage students from the very beginning of their learning experience.
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