The Outdoor Classroom was designed, fabricated, and installed at The Porch Community Center by Professor Gore’s ARCH 401 studio in May 2007. Used for community events and children’s art education classes, the 10-by-20-foot structure features steel framing, slate chalkboards along one side, and benches along both sides. Five steel bents support a polycarbonate roof over an opaque, CNC-perforated plastic panel system that filters daylight. Large gates open to the east, connecting the classroom to a spacious yard used for community gatherings. The classroom functions both as an outdoor gathering space and as a gateway between the community center and its yard.

Each summer, The Porch partners with KidsmART to host the Seventh Ward Arts Alive Summer Camp. Camp projects have included recording original raps, taking photographs, and creating a site-specific sculpture now displayed in the cultural center’s backyard. The Outdoor Classroom provides sheltered space for these activities while supporting a wide range of programs and gatherings in the adjoining yard.