Merit Awards
Reece Community School, Devonport, Tasmania,
High School, Glenn Smith Associates, Prakash Nair, and Tasmania Department of Education
The story that created the Reece Community School in Tasmania is no less inspiring than the learning environment it promotes. An arsonist’s fire wiped away decades of school history – history the small town in which it sits could ill-afford to lose. As residents rallied to build anew, the community succeeded in creating a new kind of fire, one characterized by the spirit of resilience and openness to accepting change. The ideas incorporated in this new facility have spread to other Tasmanian schools.
Edward Kirkbride said the "floorplans begin to demonstrate real flexibility and program integration, as opposed to 20th century ‘bells & cells.’"Eloquent in his praise, Jeff Lackney added, "Here is a ‘new country school"that is explicitly project-based, emphasizing the social dimensions of learning and is successful in creating very articulated places for both. Principal learning areas with personal workstations for 10 students provide a unique opportunity for students to take ownership of their school." Lackney continues by saying, "this project is a real attempt to integrate education with architecture using a collaborative process as a catalyst to rethink curriculum development, professional learning, and community. Building seven (floorplan, left), with simple rectangular bays, exemplifies the flexible workshop. Imagine having the ability to recreate the classroom environment whenever appropriate to fit any desired instructional strategy – that is building seven."
Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, Richmond, Va.,
High School, BCWH Inc.
"This is an excellent example of building modernization and educational excellence," said Bill DeJong – and many reviewers agreed. "The student commons becomes the center of the school and works like a flexible and informal cyber-café," said Roldolfo Almeida. And, Anne Taylor added, "Excellent programming process." She noted that the school created a planning department to work on this project and she liked the self-direction and teamwork. She also liked how architects shadowed students. Senior architecture students designed the furniture for this project after taking a fieldtrip to Steelcase Inc.
The high school was built in 1937 in a working- class African-American neighborhood. Hard work, bold leadership, and character were the touchstones of the school’s identity. Declining enrollment forced the school’s closing in 1989, and it soon greatly suffered from vandalism. Underneath the peeling paint and damaged materials, however, a firm and substantial structure remained, waiting to be reclaimed and restored to its former glory.
The school is a regional high school that draws gifted students who are selected from 13 area school districts. The educational program is that of a comprehensive high school with a challenging curriculum focused on government and international studies.
Riverside Learning Center, Riverside, Calif.,
Other Grade Configurations, HMC Architects
This facility is designed to be a simple, flexible rectangle, a blank canvas to be transformed by both the teacher and the students. Classroom studios are grouped into learning villages with distinct educational themes for multiple age groups. These villages are linked through a "neural network" of primary and secondary pedestrian pathways designed to encourage curiosity and invite investigation by the students. A child’s path through the campus is intentionally indirect, meandering and filled with the opportunity for discovery. The school is an innovative partnership of public and private agencies, with joint-use educational and multicultural community facilities.
"A beautiful building ensemble and a good program. An important one," commented reviewer Mariza Weber Alves. John Mayfield added that, "There are strong new ideas here, which I think are very significant." They include: the studio, a place that’s not an end of a process but the beginning; the learning village, which is a collection of living and learning spaces; and the main street, a celebration space.
Wildwood Secondary Campus, Los Angeles, Calif.,
Other Grade Configurations, SPF: architects
The layout of the project encourages student interaction on all levels. At the senior level, students are encouraged to work and conduct independent study within the community. At a societal level, the street orientation organizes gathering spaces to allow student participation with the outside community.
The bow truss structure began as the organizing framework for the design of the project. Space was found in the center upper portion of each truss bay and was utilized for student portfolio storage, lounge spaces, and art studios. These loft spaces are connected via stairs and landings, which, in turn, connect to the different curriculum areas below.
Mariza Weber Alves notes that this design resulted in a considerable improvement of the existing space. And Jeff Lackney suggests the project is "an honest attempt to address several problems in our culture at once: the deteriorating student culture in American high schools and the deteriorating urban environment. The school stays small at 400 students with four neighborhoods creating the potential for a tight community." Lackney continues by saying, "beyond the problem of school culture, this project takes an interdisciplinary, holistic curricular approach in an attempt to integrate once unconnected subjects. The use of natural materials such as wood creates a comfortable and warm environment."
Cesar E. Chavez Education Center, Oakland, Calif.,
Elementary School VBN Architects
When completed, this project will serve pre-school students and those in grades K-5, as well as parents and community members of all ages. It embraces the diversity of its surrounding urban community by creating a true neighborhood center, offering educational and childcare programs and providing much-needed recreational and joint/dedicated community-use spaces.
The core of this 600-student public elementary school is the 25 classrooms that serve as regular instructional, special education, and resource rooms – each with outdoor learning patios or shared decks. The two-story facility has two fully day-lit wings that form two small schools.
Here’s what John Mayfield had to say about the center, "I think this is a strong project with a number of important ideas about what a school can be and therefore what a building should enable. In particular, the ideas that have taken my attention are school as a focus for community – adding value by sharing and joint use." He also notes the attempt to engage the parents and the community with a community resource center, library media center, an information kiosk, and a community meeting room.
TakingITGlobal, Toronto, Canada,
Alternative Learning Environment, Randall Fielding and Prakash Nair
Reviewers liked the fact that this is a unique project dreamed up by students for students. This project is very much a product of what teens want and care about. Mariza Weber Alves comments that, "TakingITGlobal’s strength lies in its founders’ initiative and the commitment of its users. It’s a laudable attempt to supply a learning space outside the traditional ones."
TakingITGlobal (TIG) was initiated and founded by two young Canadians, Jennifer Corriero and Mike Furdyk. Corriero has been featured in TIME magazine as one of the leaders for Canada’s Next Generation and Furdyk was one of Teen People’s "10 teens that will change the world"(2000). The organization they built is designed to inspire young people to create positive social change. It does so by providing them with places to learn, work, and make important contributions to their communities in a relaxed, yet functional environment. Youth have access to information, connections, resources, and the knowledge that they are valued citizens of the world.
The founders have started one experimental center in Toronto and hope to spur the development of hundreds of such centers worldwide, making the idea of TIG centers as ubiquitous as the corner Starbucks.
Noble High School, North Berwick, Maine,
High School, Harriman Associates
"Excellent project with very good program relationships," said Bill DeJong of this high school that uses a project-based, interdisciplinary approach, with teams consisting of a math, science, English, and social studies teacher working within learning communities of no more than 100 students. All classes are heterogeneous because there is no tracking, and traditional departmental structures have been dissolved.
In order to create smaller, more personal and less anonymous environments, 15 "schools within a school" were created. Each learning community includes a large multipurpose room that functions much like a living room, where the 100 students and four teachers can meet and where students can present their work to one another. The town square just inside the entrance is the crossroads of the school, with ample places to sit, to see, and be seen.
Jeff Lackney thought this project needed to be recognized because it "integrates educational reform into design and is clearly designed for the learning process." Edward Kirkbride thought that this is an, "outstanding, tightly designed, ‘breaking ranks’ and community-friendly plan that demonstrates applied theory." He also noted the very warm and welcome use of spaces and materials. "It’s a great place to ‘hang’ and learn with your friends," he concluded.
Learning Laboratory for Complex Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, Mass.,
Higher Education, Cambridge Seven Associates Inc.
The goal of the program is to create an innovative and highly effective educational framework for educating the next generation of engineering leaders. Varied and flexible spaces are created for a variety of learning modes:
- Conceive space allows students to envision new systems, understand user needs, and develop concepts. It emphasizes reflection, reinforces interaction, and allows easy access to the library/resource center.
- Design space supports cooperative digitally supported design, allowing students to design and understand interaction. It also provides central and team breakout rooms, and is in proximity to workshop space, reinforcing connection.
- Implement space allows students to build systems and includes mechanical, electronic, and specialty fabrication. It is visible to students and visitors and includes software engineering and integration.
- Operate space offers students opportunities to operate their experiments and projects, and simulate operations of real systems.
Echoing the views of other reviewers, Anne Taylor said she liked this project because it represents "technology teaching for the real world. Educational goals are very sound." She also noted how the facility is sensitive to student needs and learning styles. "Architecture functionally and aesthetically supports what is going on. Very up to date."
Cedar Valley Community School, Lynnwood, Wash.,
Other Grade Configurations, Mahlum Architects
Gayle Everly, principal of Cedar Valley noted, "Our school must provide a place where a divergent population can come together, celebrate and share in activities that strengthen bonds, and form positive relationships between the school and the surrounding community." The program for the school was developed through a series interactive charrettes held at the existing school to bring the teachers, students, parents, and members of the community into the design process.
The building’s two-story design engages an existing hillside, providing on-grade access to each floor. This arrangement addresses the need for flexibility and helps accommodate students in a variety of age ranges. Circulation is ‘slip-stacked’ to allow a visual connection between the floors. Prakash Nair liked the fact that "all classrooms enjoy eastern light and a visual connection to adjacent park." He also noted that "the activity areas are configured to allow both structured and unstructured learning opportunities outside the normal flow of traffic. The building is configured without formal corridors."
Klébergsskóli, Reykjavík, Iceland,
Elementary School, arkitektur.is
Klébergsskóli is a 200-student elementary school located on the northern outskirts of Reykjavík, Iceland. The climate is harsh and the eastern winds can be very powerful at times. The buildings and the landscaping form a barrier against the wind, protecting the outdoor areas while taking advantage of the breathtaking views and close proximity to the shoreline.
The interior of the new addition is light and open to the outside, making use of large, glazed areas. This school is a true community facility; its library, auditorium, and specialized classrooms – such as for woodworking and art – are designed so they can be closed off from the rest of the school and opened to the public. John Mayfield spoke for many other reviewers when he said, "This [school] as the heart of the community, with a range of facilities clearly designated as community use as much as they are for childrens’ use, is very important. It goes to the idea of the learning community. It is an idea that is powerful enough to redefine the role and functions of the public school, which may not now be first or foremost for children but for all the learners, including the community." He concludes by saying, "This is an idea we need to expose for consideration."
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