Student Spaces vol. 1

by JOEL K. SIMS, AIA

AtlantaMentoneBirdrock

CopenhagenGilroy

KristiansandNew York City

DumbreckSan AnselmoWiliamstown

AstoriaYokohama

TokyoHarper Woods

Warren

STUD

ENT SPAC

ES

designing schools with students in mind

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Contents:

Orestad College - Denmark3XN 32

18St Bede’s College - AustraliaKneeler Design

Bird Rock Elementary School - USAZagrodnik + Thomas 26

Tangen Polytechnic - Norway3XN 46

Ron Clark Academy - USAUrban Studio 10

Gilroy High school - USAKasavan 28

NYC Centre for Space Science Education - USAOmni Architects 54

Hazelwood School - UKAlan Dunlop Architects 60

Yajima Kindergarten - JapanSUDA 92

Harper Woods Middle / High School - USAWorld Architects and Engineers 102

Westview Elementary School - USAPartners in Architecture, P.L.C. 108

Shirokane Kindergarten - JapanSUDA 98

Frank Sinatra School of the Arts - USAEnnead 84

Williamstown High school - AustraliaSpowers 76

Sir Francis Drake High School - USADeems Lewis McKinley Architects 70

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T H I S P U B L I C A T I O N W A S M A D E P O S S I B L E T H A N K S T O S U P P O R T F R O M :

A N D

http://www.nanawall.com/

http://www.beldenbrick.com/

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Many factors go into designing successful schools. Of these, no single factor is more important than considering the building’s primary occupants: students. Student Spaces explores schools from all over the world that incorporate areas that students find both beneficial and enjoyable.

While books have long featured school designs that provide commentary by adults, this book provides comments from stu-dents who have utilized the spaces and enjoyed the benefits first-hand. Having spent over twenty five years designing K-12 schools, I am excited about the examples we have put together. Probably the most common response I have received from those that have seen a draft of this book is “Why didn’t I get to go to a school like that?” I trust this book will help elevate the quality of school design around the world and in the future more people will say, “Oh, I went to a school like that!”

Joel K. Sims, AIAFounder/[email protected]

Designing schools with students in mind

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promptu use from surrounding areas of the first floor stacks, circulation desk, or cafe and allows groups to convene in a central location. Curved steps, integrated with the desk, lead students to the trampoline.

The custom designed bungee system rig-ging is structurally integrated into the 2nd floor railing system. As a part of the library conversion, the large opening was cut in the floor to accommodate the bungee sys-tem, as well as to provide height and open-ness within the space. Above the trampo-line, two skylights open to the sky. Custom railing panels with the Ron Clark Academy’s own students jumping into the sky and mu-rals by graffiti artist, Mr. Totem complete the illusion of fantasy and sky.

BungeeTrampoline

With the entire campus as an adaptive reuse of a warehouse site, the library of the Ron Clark Academy once housed

the facility’s offices. In the library, a bungee trampoline is part of a reward system for academic excellence. For meeting goals, a student gains the privilege to jump and reach the sky while surrounded by cheering classmates and teachers.

The design challenge was to integrate this activity elegantly within a functional library. A casual radial surround seating element accompanied by four curved moveable reading tables approachable from either side serves the ground floor of the library. The centric arrangement allows for im-

Atlanta (GA), USA

Ron Clark Academy

Urban Studio

Type of school: private nonprofit middle schoolType of project: adaptive reuseGross surface area: 340 m2 (3,664 ft2)Year of completion: 2009No. Of students: 100

Right:The library’s bungee trampoline

photo: Duane Stork

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Left:In the Ron Clark Acad-emy’s library, the sky is the limit.

photo: Duane Stork

Kennedystudent

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Dariusstudent

The trampoline in the library is a symbol of uniqueness; most schools don’t have a trampo-line in their yard or even a library. But, I enjoy seeing our visitors use it. I get the opportunity

to meet educators from around the world; it also serves as a gateway for me to meet new people.

When i was on the trampoline… I felt like i was at a carnival. It was so much fun and I don’t know of any other school to have a trampoline indoors! And for that, I feel so

privileged and blessed to be part of the Ron Clark Academy.

The trampoline makes me feel victori-ous. Only very few people can get on the

trampoline, you have to earn it! Every time, I jump on the trampoline it makes

me feel like I can do anything!

Rashadstudent

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Secret door

Inspired by the mysterious hidden doors and passageways found in the Scooby Doo cartoons, the entrance door to Mr. Clark’s classroom lies behind rotating

bookshelves in a functioning library. Fur-nished with a fireplace, wood paneling and a velvet sofa, the evocation of a haunted mansion is completed with the turn of a sconce which reveals the classroom.

This is just one of many surprises encoun-tered while walking through the Ron Clark Academy classroom building. Just down the hall from an electric blue corkscrew slide, students are transported into a com-pletely different environment when entering the library. The custom woodwork was crafted by a local artisan, and other ele-ments are a mix of reclaimed treasures. A perfectly suited yard sale chandelier com-pletes the room.

The main challenges to the project were life-safety and technical. An alternate means of egress was accomplished via a side corridor that empties into the main corridor beyond the library area, leaving no clues to the hidden room at the end of the hall.

...and when it is open

photo: Duane Stork

Right

The view of the Secret Door when closed...

photo: Kortni Alston-Clarke

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First time I saw Mr. Clark’s secret door was during my interview to become part of the Ron Clark Acad-

emy, it felt more than just a school – it made me feel carefree and intrigued. I haven’t seen anything like

that except for when I have watched Scooby Doo. The secret door is a passage way to my future.

Darius student

Kennedy student

I remember the first time I saw the secret door. I was curious about what

it was and I wanted to know where it would lead and what is behind it…. For me, it represents taking chances

and being adventurous.

I still remember the first time I saw the secret door. It was like go-

ing into a different world. I always feel like I am going into a magical

world every time it opens.

Rashadstudent

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for displays and performances, as well as a long desired barbeque area. Environmental factors such as runoff and shading were a concern. Finally, a large outdoor chess table using oversized pieces would be con-structed for the chess team and for recrea-tional use.

From these meetings, a solution was formed that recognizes the student’s real need for physical activity, fresh air and sunshine, and accommodates those who learn best through engaging with the tactile world. The driving concept was a balance

SSt. Bede’s College faced the chal-lenge of residual space. The area between the gymnasium, work-shops and computer laboratories

was too small for sports or development, and students had created a dirt trail as a shortcut between buildings.

The school envisioned an outdoor learn-ing space that could also be used after hours, and engaged Kneeler Architects. A series of meetings were held, and a solution began to conceptualize. The space would need a variety of learning settings that also allowed for informal gatherings. The aborigi-nal concept of corroboree must be included

Mentone, Victoria, Australia

St. Bede’s College

Kneeler Design

Type of school: secondary collegeType of project: addition of a passive recreational areaGross surface area: 200 m2 (2,150 ft2)Year of completion: 2006No. of students: 1330

Right:Canopies shade recreational areas and

divert water into the waterbox

photo: Silvi Glattauer

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Below:Wooden tables in the lunch area


of formal and casual spaces.

The formal elements of the solution break the ground plane into horizontal hardscapes for different uses. Some areas contain the carefully arranged seating of a classroom, while others are informal dugouts with non-prescriptive seating for gatherings or group work.

The school’s environmental concerns were met with rain gardens and lily ponds which

serve as filters for the school’s aquifer and well. As plantings mature they blend with the existing structures inspired by the foli-age, ensuring shade for the site.

The project has provided the St. Bede’s College campus with a special and reju-venated space by transforming a muddy and unremarkable thoroughfare into an area used in unique and diverse ways by all members of the school community.

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Below: A waterbox


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Below:Chess boards used by the all boy campus’ chess clubs


…Since it’s completion, the area has attracted a great deal of use and engaged people’s attention. Not being

in the shape of any building and having steel mem-bers which have no discernable use, it takes observ-ers beyond the practical to the artistic and aesthetic.

…All of the college’s goals in the brief have been ex-ceeded and the area will stand for a long time as a pointer to nature and as a complement to the effi-

cient, practical school buildings

Br. Garry CoytePrincipal of St. Bede’s College

Left:The area provides a variety of spaces for the all boy campus


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Betsy Schulz worked with parents and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) members from Bird Rock Elementary to carry on the gradu-

ation class tradition of presenting a mural to the school. Mosaic pieces were fastened to a mesh, which was then applied to the new library wall. The students pressed quotes and words into the tiles to celebrate reading. The lines of the tiles represent the ocean waves, and the sand and rocks underneath. The project was funded by the PTA members and private donors and cost about $5200 for design labor and materials and took one month to complete.

The library was built with a sea motif. In order to enhance the wavy line of the blue stucco Betsy Schulz designed three colored lines of tile. The top line repre-

sents the ocean waves, the center white line, the sand, and the reddish bottom line, the rocks of the ocean floor. The students pressed quotes and words into the clay to create tiles that celebrate the reading op-portunities the library offers.

The rugged shoreline of Birdrock over-looks reefs and is home to an abundance of sealife including numerous birds that perch and nest on the rocky outcroppings. Za-grodnik + Thomas Architects incorporated this ocean theme into the design of a new library for the Bird Rock Elementary cam-pus, incorporating a blue-green cementi-tous “wave” wainscot and playful “porthole” windows at various heights.

Birdrock (CA), USA

Bird Rock Elementary School

Zagrodnik + Thomas Architects

Type of school: K-5Type of project: campus modernization with new libraryGross surface area: 3,100 m2 (33,330 ft2)Year of completion: 2003-2010No. of students: 475

Next Page:The tile mural playfully surrounds one of

the porthole windows

Below: Mosaic sea scene

photo: Sally Steadman

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Above:The class of 2010 added this

inspired compass


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Left:A starfish bench


Below:Bench inspired by

a surfboard on a pebbly beach


We all contributed a little bit but when we put it together it

makes something big.

It makes the school a lot more deco-rative. It was fun making the mosaic because we each got to do different

designs and use different stamps.

It gives our school character, because the kids decorated

the school themselves.

Josie5th grade

Ana5th grade

Raul5th grade

Right:Fifth grade students helped make and install the tiles

under the guidance of the artist.

photo: Betsy Shultz

They really make the school a nicer place to be.

Sage5th grade

I liked helping create a cool look on the library wall. We learned a lot from the

artist and it was a fun team project.

They make our school different and special. Each mosaic means

something.

Nicole5th grade

Jonathan5th grade

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the space can adapt to individuals, small groups, regular classes and assemblies.

Horizontal and vertical connectedness lend to the interaction and communica-tion needed to meet this goal. The power-ful form of the superstructure is created through four rotated boomerang shaped floors. This rotation then opens a part of each floor to the central atrium, providing a zone for community and interdisciplinary education.

Serving students ages 16-19, Orestad College is the first Danish high school to embody new stand-ards of content, subject matter, or-

ganization and learning systems mandated through educational system reforms.

The goal of the project was to assist the school in guiding students as they gradu-ally take responsibility for their education through individual and group learning, while introducing IT as a main learning tool. The building’s openness provides flexibility, as

Copenhagen, Denmark

Orestad College

3XN

Type of school: upper secondary schoolType of project: new constructionGross surface area: 12,000 m2 (130,000 ft2)Year of completion: 2007No. of students: 1100

Right:Lounge pod

photo: Adam Mørk

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Above:Overview of the main staircase

photo: Adam Mørk

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Below:Lounge pods and computer space

photo: Adam Mørk

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Martinestudent

Front side - Main entrance of the building

photo: Adam Mørk

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Like the eye of a hurricane, this space seems to draw students to the banisters on all four floors. They need

to relax from constant focusing, and just to stand there looking at nothing in particular, perhaps wave at a friend or two. The attraction of this place is difficult to explain, perhaps it’s the letting go, the chance to look at some-

thing else; perhaps it’s the relaxed knowledge that here’s a view you can relate to, or the feeling of community. One

thing is certain, over and beyond the parties in the can-teen that bind us together – both within and across age

groups – the college’s openness certainly plays an im-portant part in making us one community. You can eas-

ily feel you’re in one large, confusing jungle – but then on the other hand, you never feel you’re off limits as the building and its facilities are common ground to us all –

this is very important.

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ported by a “grove of columns” referencing the actual grove of trees in the courtyard immediately beyond the adjacent patio. Gilroy often reaches temperatures over 100 degrees during periods of the school year, and the large overhanging roof extends the shading from the trees into covered patios.

With a student body of over 2,000, the challenge was to provide all students ac-cess to the campus Food Court and Dining Room in just one lunch hour. The NanaWall doors successfully allow access in a com-fortable and efficient manner.

Charged with designing a monu-mental building on the campus of Gilroy High School, Kasavan Architects used distinct materials

to create a sense of transparency between the interior and exterior.

t Where structural elements pass through tWhere structural elements pass through the glazed wall, glass is

intentionally located under the member to show that it does not carry the roof load. Wide openings in the glazed wall create ef-ficient access. The building is directly ad-jacent to the old food service facility where the entire student body congregated. The glazed “prow” of the dining hall reaches into the central campus quad. The roof is sup-

Gilroy (CA), USA

Gilroy High School

Kasavan

Type of school: high schoolType of project: additions and alterationsGross surface area: 5100 m2 (55,293 ft2)Year of completion: 2006No. of students: 2000

Right:NanaWall Bi-fold doors provide a unified indoor

and outdoor dining hall

photo: Brett Drury

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Right:The prow of the Student

Center highlights the NanaWall

photo: Brett Drury

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Left:Interior - Grove of Columns with NanaWall in in the background

photo: Brett Drury

The Student Center building has helped me find guidance through high school and has given the counselors a more comfort-able and safe space to discuss education with their students. The Student Center is open and easy to find, it is definitely a

useful building to have on our campus.

Samanthastudent

The Student Center is a central location where students can find help and assistance. Having the academic coordinators, registrar and counseling staff located together next door to the student activities office has made it much easier to register for classes. The new expansive eating areas, inside and out, are a great place to go when it is raining or when it is too hot in the sun!

Devanitystudent

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single stories. The two storied areas are used for workshop activities, while the sin-gle story classrooms house academics.

A circular atrium connects all floors through the center of the building. The braided sides handle the bending of the site, and parabolic window openings pro-vide a view of the school’s activities from the street.

S ituated just south of Kristiansand’s renaissance quarter, Tangen Polytechnic is presented with a beautiful view of the Otra River.

Combining the once separated schools of hotel management, design, media, commu-nication and construction, the new school encourages students to connect with and benefit from other disciplines.

A plait forms the simple design strategy for the structure. Two sets of double stories weave together, forming a central area of

Kristiansand, Norway

Tangen Polytechnic

3XN

Type of school: polytechnicType of project: new constructionGross surface area: 17,300 m2 (186,215 ft2)Year of completion: 2009No. of students: 950

Right:Connecting floors across

the atrium

photo: Adam Mørk

Right:The large circular

atrium

photo: Adam Mørk

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Right:The Tangen on the Otra River

photo: Adam Mørk

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Above:The canteen area

photo: Adam Mørk

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Above:Mezzanine overlooking canteen area

photo: Adam Mørk

The space is so open and light. It makes us

feel free and awake during the school day.

Vildestudent

Stianstudent

The open space makes it easy to socialize with other students.

The large windows provide a beautiful

view of the Otera river.

Ingvildstudent

In this school it is easy to keep up the contact

with friends.

Below:The Tangen at dusk

photo: Adam Mørk

Rebekkastudent

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Working together to promote space science education for K-12 students, four large pri-vate organizations and govern-

ment bodies transformed three classrooms into an innovative educational space at PS 56 in Manhattan. An entry corridor trans-fers students into a Briefing Room, where students receive basic instructions and are divided into two groups. Those in the Mis-sion Control Room command those in the Space Shuttle Simulation Room as they collect and analyze samples from their trav-els through space. Students then reverse roles, travelling between the rooms through a star filled black revolving door.Engaging students in activities that simu-

late space travel, the school hopes to expose students to new possibilities and reinforce that big dreams are attainable through hard work and dedication.

New York City (NY), USA

NYC Center for Space Science Education

Omni Architects

Type of school: science resource center for 2nd-12th gradersType of project: interior renovationGross surface area: 480 m2 (5,220 ft2)Year of completion: 2010No. of students: 4000

Below:Mission Control Room

photo: Lazar Kesic, OMNI Architects

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Left:Boarding the Space Shuttle

photo: Lazar Kesic, OMNI Architects

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The space center is like stepping into another world!

12th Grader

I felt like I was really in space and working

for NASA.

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I was a communications officer and we launched a probe to Halley’s Comet. I would

love to become a communications officer when I grow up. It was very interesting.

I liked it when there was an emergency, because we solved the problem and I was proud of myself.

6th Grader

4th Grader

9th Grader

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most severely disabled children in Scotland. The children and young people who attend the school will never be able to lead totally independent lives and will require lifetime support.

Hazelwood School is designed for children and young people aged 2 to 17 who are blind and deaf with cognitive impairment and physical

disabilities. Together they are some of the

Dumbreck, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Hazelwood School

Alan Dunlop Architects

Type of school: special needs - dual sensory impairedType of project: new constructionGross surface area: 2,666 m2 (28,700 ft2)Year of completion: 2007No. of students: 54

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Below:Outside view of the school;

Interacting with the landscape is an essential part of the students’ development

photo: Andrew Lee

spaces. To the south, the school steps and curves to create a series of safe and stimulating landscaped teaching gardens. Access to these outside spaces is integral to the teaching practice of the school. The sensory experiences such as breathing fresh air, hearing the wind rustling the trees and feeling the rain are critical parts of the pupil’s education.Clerestory glazing forms a substantial part

of the façade of the north-facing class-rooms, allowing for maximum daylight to penetrate deep into the spaces and ensur-ing even distribution of light. Large storage

The school is situated within a strong resi-dential and conservation area to the south of Glasgow and aims to develop pupil’s independence through a highly individual-ised, multi-sensory curriculum. The smallest features of the building are conceived as learning aids.

The building wraps around mature beech trees and nestles to one side of a large public park. Classrooms lay along the northern quiet edge of the site to maximize ambient light and overlook verdant play

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school safely. Sculptural units that make up the sensory wall also act as storage units in which mobility-training equipment is kept. The wall is clad in cork, which has a warm tactile quality and provides signifiers along the route to confirm the children’s location within the school.

Each one of the external materials was se-lected for their sensory qualities. The natu-ral larch weatherboarding develops a strong grain when exposed to the elements, offer-ing a gently rippled tactile quality for ‘trail-ing’ (navigation using the sense of touch). In contrast, roofing slate hung vertically as cladding is noticeably harder to the touch. The slate walls define external spaces and have the advantage on the south elevations of being a strong heat source, providing another trailing tool for students.

boxes create a solid wall below the clere-story glazing; this reduces external visual distraction, highlighted by teaching staff as a significant cause of loss of concentration levels in some visually impaired students.

The ability to use toilet facilities unaided offers dignity to the pupils. The location, type, size and fittings of the sanitary facili-ties have been carefully selected to help educated the students in the variety of toilet types they are likely to come into contact with.

Ease of orientation within the school is essential to developing the student’s in-dependence. In response to this, a sen-sory wall was developed in the circulation “street” as a navigational tool that would allow the children to move around the

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Above and right:Main circulation space, sensory and storage wall

photo: Andrew Lee

Next page:Cafeteria

photo: Andrew Lee and Keith Hunter

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Right:Aerial view of the

school and gar-dens

photo: Andrew Lee and Keith Hunter

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Below:Aerial View of School

Design Drawing by Alan Dunlop

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When our children leave this school, they will not go into jobs or go and live in their own flat or

house- they will always need to be supported. Adults who are blind and have learning difficul-

ties can lead passive lives. But the more inde-pendence they have, the more choices they will be able to make and the more stimulating their

lives will be. One young person, the most cogni-tively challenged person I’ve ever met, can now

go and eat and go to the toilet by himself. For the rest of his life his dignity will be maintained.

Monica McGeeverHazelwood School Headteacher

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The original Student Center was contained by a concrete courtyard and grey eight-foot-high concrete walls that obscured a dramatic view

of Mt. Tamalpais and the greenery of the adjacent athletic fields. Removing the op-pressive wall, the facility was expand as a “glass box” of NanaWall opening window walls with a gathering place that feels much larger than its 4,000 square feet. The Stu-dent Center is now a vibrant and spacious environment for both student and commu-nity gatherings. The newfound views of the mountain and the athletic fields fuel continu-al demand for the facility during school time, after hours, and weekend functions.Low-E glass was utilized in the replace-

ment window wall along with new insulated

San Anselmo (CA), USA

Sir Francis Drake High School

Deems Lewis McKinley

Type of school: high schoolType of project: renovationGross surface area: 370 m2 (4,000 ft2)Year of completion: 2005No. of students: 1100

Right:NanaWall adds flexibility to the Student Center’s cafeteria

photo: James Patton & Saxon Holt

wall panels. The original ceiling insulation was supplemented with additional insula-tion. The original tall ceiling was left in place above the new ceiling, providing double-cavity exterior insulation.

Sir Francis Drake High School was award-ed a ‘Green School’ designation by the County of Marin for its physical and opera-tional sensitivities to environmental issues. The Student Commons/Cafeteria Expansion received a Design Award from the Coalition for Adequate Housing. The reinvigorated Drake High School now reflects the energy and quality of its staff and students.

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Above:NanaWall allows a view without a glare


Right:The glass box with a view is a vast improvement over the

previous concrete walls


Above:The beautiful view is even close when the NanaWall is open.


The Student Center is an open and inviting place that has many uses. It is very welcoming and spacious.

Richard student

Andre student

Sofiastudent

The Student Center building is a great place for classes or programs to gather for presentations or projects.

It is a very open and inviting place and it enables stu-dents/faculty to move easily between indoor and out-

door activities. In my opinion, the Student Center build-ing is an essential part of our learning experience.

The Student Center building has made a lot of things easier throughout my high school career. When there is a make up exam I know exactly where I need to be, or when a Power Point presentation is given, the spaciousness makes it a good learning and listening environment. It is also a nice meeting spot for all grades because it is an equal distance for each of the corridors. It is both beauti-ful and useful to have on campus.

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was imperative. In lieu of air conditioning, louvered clerestory windows ventilate warm air during the summer. The wood floor was recycled from the previous demolished school, and serves as a connection to the site’s history.

Each end of the atrium is glazed with double doors providing a cross flow of sea breezes through the space. The atrium’s structure is exposed, engaging the students in their built environment. The use of lo-cal wood species is highlighted with bold colors to create a tactile and vibrant space.

O riginally intending to flow a rocky river through Williamstown High School’s atrium as an extension of the adjacent Port Phillip Bay,

the architects refined the idea to a stream of students flowing through the building. Using warm materials such as timber and potted trees, the final scheme continues the idea of a journey through the site.

The multi-purpose atrium serves as the school’s primary space, and functions as foyer, auditorium, display and circulation space. This versatile space can accom-modate both small conversations and 250 students exiting the library at once. Maxi-mizing natural light in the school’s interior

Williamstown, Victoria, Australia

Williamstown High School

Spowers

Type of school: public high school for middle years Type of project; new constructionGross surface area: 5300 m2 (57,000 ft2)Year of completion: 2008No. of students: 750

Right:The atrium is designed for flexible use- it can be a

transitional or exhibition space

photo: Dianna Snape

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Type of school: public high school for middle years Type of project; new constructionGross surface area: 5300 m2 (57,000 ft2)Year of completion: 2008No. of students: 750

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Above:Recycled hardwood flooring and natural timber interact with bold colors

photo: Dianna Snape

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Above:The atrium is the hub of the school

photo: Dianna Snape

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Above:The complex links the surrounding Jawbone Conservation Reserve on the bay side

with Hobson Bay City through transitional zones that respect natural formations

illustration: Spowers Architects

Below:The atrium is oriented for maximum cross ventilation, creating a protected outdoor space between buildings

photo: Dianna Snape

We requested a naturally lit and ventilated building and they have created a wonder-ful sense of light and space. It is a building which is highly responsive to its natural setting with high level louvres and ther-mal chimneys allowing sea breezes to flow through the building through the heat of summer.

Mr Steven CookPrincipal of Williamston College

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point of reference. This space provides critical daylight to the dance, music, art studios on the upper floors, and links them to the 800 seat Tony Bennett Concert Hall. This vivid yellow curvilinear form extends through the building to penetrate the roof-top courtyard and performance areas. In addition to this performance space, the atrium allows social interaction and the dis-play of student work. The centrality of this multi-use space underscores the school’s mission: to engage and explore the arts.

The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts is a striking building and educational resource that celebrates the arts, providing students with spaces that are unexpected in NYC public schools.

The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts is a new public high school. The design connects the school visu-ally, programmatically and spatially

with the surrounding community while drawing students and teachers together in pursuit of the arts. The transparency of the building’s primary façade showcases the studio and rehearsal spaces within, displaying the school’s arts curriculum. Names of various luminaries in the arts are silkscreened onto the glazing, creating an inspiring façade that filters the natural light. The structure’s openness is a welcoming presence in the urban context and cel-ebrates the vibrant arts community within. The scale and pattern of the structure connect the 1000-student school with the dense, low-rise neighborhood in Astoria, Queens.

The compact site necessitated a vertical organization: spaces are composed around a five-story atrium which provides a single

Astoria, New York City (NY), USA

Frank Sinatra School Of The Arts

Ennead

Type of school: public high schoolType of project: new constructionGross surface area: 113,600 m2 (147,000 ft2)Year of completion: 2007No. of students: 1000

Right:Frank Sinatra School of the Arts

nighttime view

photo: ©Jeff Goldberg/Esto for Ennead Architects

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Above:Entry lobby at street level & atrium view looking upward


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Left:Dance studio

photo: ©Jeff Goldberg/Esto for Ennead Archi-tects

Left:Auditorium hall and theater

photo: ©Jeff Goldberg/Esto for Ennead Archi-tects

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Above:Rooftop terrace performance space


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Left:Building plan

image:Ennead Architects

Above:Building section

image:Ennead Architects

Maybellestudent

I think the architecture of our school helps the students feel more positive, outgoing and wel-comed than most other schools because of the vibrant colors and designs. It’s not monochro-matic and repetitive like other public schools.

Willastudent

I think that the spacious, geometric and sprawling architecture produces a creative environment. When I walk about, I am interested and inspired.

Years after i leave FSSA, I will be glad to say that I went to school in such a unique building. I feel that other students aren’t as lucky as we are to

go to this artfully designed school building.

Isaiahstudent

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Yajima Kindergarten playfully cre-ates a child-scaled environment by subtly manipulating the build-ing so that walls, floors and ceil-

ing become like furniture just as the built in furniture assumes an architectural role. The friendly environment allows children to use all their senses in physical encounters with the architecture. The floor becomes stepped; the wall becomes a blackboard, or a place with nooks and crannies in which to hide; columns and frames become benches, shelves and platforms.

The touch, transparency, and plasticity of water is an everlasting wonder for children. The water zone connected to an indoor play zone is a favorite place for students. The small water fall and pond in the open-air square stimulate their imagination and induce various creative games.

In the kindergarten, children learn through their daily activities and search for their identities in social life. In the building, their encounter with the architecture begins with

touching. The architecture, furniture and toys fit the scale of children, and the chil-dren unknowingly begin to feel the architec-ture through the physical contact. The floor gradually transforms, rain water flows, the walls have uneven surfaces fit for hide and seek, and the pillars and benches become ledges for the seasonal decorations such as flowers.

It is important for children to have the freedom of transformation. In this kinder-garten, the goal is to not be too focused on creating toys, but to create an environment where architecture and toys merge.

There is no roof over the stair and small water, so the elements of rain, wind, sun-light, and warmth are felt indoors. There-fore, children’s sense and play style chang-es according to the season and weather. Some play occurs alone, and at other times in groups. Through play with friends, children learn to handle various situations including teaching others, suppressing self-ishness, and respecting each other.

Yokohama, Japan

Yajima Kindergarten

Suda Architects

Type of school: kindergartenType of project: additionGross surface area: 150 m2 (1,615 ft2)Year of completion: 2009No. of students: 240

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Below:The cubicle grid provides a framework for imagination

photo: SUDA Architects

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Right:A transparent roof pro-vides gradual transition

between the building and playground.


Boy, 3 yrs old

Below:Children engaging with

the cublicle grid


I like going up and down.

It’s fun to look from above!

Boy, 5 yrs old

Girl, 5 yrs old

I like playing chase!

Boy, 4 yrs old

Girl, 4 yrs old

Boy, 3 yrs old

I was hiding alone.

I’m still afraid to go up.

I like to sit and chat.

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their identities in social life. In the building, their encounter with the architecture begins with touching. As the architectural elements such as the wall and ceiling gradually be-come toys, and as the elements of toys be-come part of the architecture, the architec-ture fits itself to the scale of children, and the children unknowingly begin to feel the architecture through the physical contact. The floor gradually transforms, rain water flows, the walls have uneven surfaces fit for hide and seek, and the pillars and benches become ledges for the seasonal decora-tions such as flowers.

It is important for the tor for children to have the freedom of transformation. In this kindergarten, I heeded not to be too luxuri-ous as an architecture, not to be too goal oriented as toys, and to create an environ of merged boundary of architecture and toys.

There is no roof over the stair with the small water fall 2 meters lower than the ad-

Architectural elements such as wall, floors and ceilings gradu-ally become more furniture-like, and built-in furniture gradually

becomes more architectonic. As a result, the scale of the environment is friendly and children unconsciously begin to use all their senses in physical encounters with the architecture. The floor becomes stepped; the wall becomes a blackboard, or a place with nooks and crannies in which to hide; columns and frames become benches, shelves and platforms.

The touch, the transparency, the amazing plasticity of form: water is for children an everlasting wonder. Water zone with run-ning water connecting to an indoor square ( play zone ) is apparently a favorite place for children. The small water fall and a pond in the open-air square stimulate their imagina-tion and induce various creative games.In the kindergarten, children learn much

through their daily activities and search for

Tokyo, Japan

Shirokane Kindergarten

Suda Architects

Type of school: kindergartenType of project: new constructionGross surface area: 797 m2 (8,578 ft2)Year of completion: 2001No. of students: 165

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Above:Architectural elements function as furniture


joining ground, so the outdoor parameters such as rain, wind, sunlight, heat are re-flected indoors. Therefore, children’s sense and play style changes according to the season and weather. One might at times play alone, or at times together. Through the interaction of play with friends, children learn the ways of thinking of other than theirs, handling of various situations, how to teach others, how to suppress selfishness, and respect one another.

Above:water zone


I was scolded when I drank from the

water front. Boy, 5 yrs old

Hot days feel nice!

Draining a lot of water is fun.

The flow of water is pretty.

Small glass balls in the mortar are pretty.

Girl, 5 yrs old

Boy, 4 yrs old

Girl, 5 yrs old

Boy, 3 yrs old

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Right:Cafeteria Lobby with durable Belden brick on

the interior.

photo: Jim Maguire

Harper Woods (MI), USA

Harper Woods Middle / High School

World Architects and Engineers

Type of school: middle/high schoolType of project: new constructionGross surface area: 14,436 m2 (155,388 ft2)Year of completion: 2007No. of students: 642

The facility is organized into three zones: academic, athletic, and arts. The academic zone is defined by two distinct wings serv-ing middle school and high school func-tions. A linear “town square” commons serves as a versatile gathering space con-necting each zone. The commons acts as a day-lit lobby for activities in the gym, kitch-en, and auditorium. Corridors are minimized by organizing classrooms along collabora-tive resource centers. Small-group teaming, individualized studies, conferencing, and technology hubs allow for evolving learning opportunities within the resource centers.

Guiding principles for the design were established with the dis-trict’s planning team, focusing on the growth and development of

incoming middle school students and their progression through the secondary edu-cation experience. The ideas of “revealing layers” and “turning the corner” influenced the aesthetic image of the facility. Just as children reveal layers of their individual-ity, the envelope of the school attempts to reveal layers of color and material reflecting students’ evolving identities. The mixture of traditional and contemporary materials represents the blend of the community’s heritage with new ideas.

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Left:A row of columns made with Belden brick defines the cor-ridor and locker areas

photo: Jim Maguire

Below:Belden brick at the main entrance

photo: Jim Maguire

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Right:Exterior variations of material include

metal siding, panels and Belden brick

photo: Jim Maguire

Warren (MI), USA

Westview Elementary School

Partners in Architecture, P.L.C.

Type of school: public high schoolType of project: new constructionGross surface area: 9,150 m2 (98,500 ft2)Year of completion: 2007No. of students: 450

of vegetation. The twelve foot high glazed brick serpentine wall adds an interesting backdrop and is a welcomed surprise to on lookers and users of the space.

The layout of the facility encourages visual interaction between spaces and provides additional opportunities for socialization and learning. The entrance lobby will in-corporate a future interactive kiosk to the buildings energy management system. This kiosk will provide students with information on the building, its geo-thermal mechanical system and the energy it consumes.

Westview Elementary School is designed to support explo-ration, discovery and team based learning. Reinforc-

ing this concept is an outdoor classroom which provides an educational environ-ment for hands-on life sciences learning. This centrally located space is strategically placed near the main entrance lobby which allows all students and visitors to experi-ence this dynamic learning arena on a daily basis. The space offers a pond, teaching platforms, lecture area, butterfly and hum-mingbird gardens as well as an abundance

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Below:Exterior patterns and details created using Belden brick

photo: Jim Maguire

Below:Exterior façade with Belden brick

photo: Jim Maguire

School Designerwww.schooldesigner.com© 2011

creator / author:

Joel K. Sims, AIAFounder/presidentSchooldesigner.com

editing team:

Lianne Billoni, graduate architect David High, graduate architectHolly Smelser, graduate architectKatelyn Talbott , marketing coordinator

Graphic design / layout:

Jan Franciszek Cieslak

sponsors:

Belden Brick CompanyPO Box 20910Canton, Ohio 44701-0910 Phone [email protected]

NanawalNanaWall Systems, Inc.707 Redwood HighwayMill Valley, CA 94941 Phone: (888) [email protected]

http://www.schooldesigner.com

http://www.schooldesigner.com

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by JOEL K. SIMS, AIA

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CopenhagenGilroy

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STUD

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designing schools with students in mind

Student Spaces vol. 1

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Transcript of Student Spaces vol. 1