Merit Awards
Compass Montessori Secondary School
Golden, Colo., United States
Grades: 7-12
Capacity: 330 students
Size: 31,000 square feet
Acreage: 8 acres
Lead Architect: Ewers Architecture pc
This middle school and high school campus, set at the base of a distinctive mountain formation, provides the students with a unique environment to learn both social skills as well as classroom basics.
The middle school (grades 7 – 9) is an Erdkinder school, which means literally "children of the earth." This is a farm school where the students raise crops and livestock as well as learn in the classroom. The concept here is that during this age, students are under a lot of pressure from society—so they must leave society and go find themselves on the farm, to discover their true nature and talents. The architecture of the Erdkinder school reinforces these ideas by using an agrarian motif to make the students and teachers feel like they are truly on a farm.
The High School (grades 10-12) is a more independent learning environment. Once the students have graduated from the Erdkinder school, they are ready to leave the farm and re-enter society. The High School fosters a sense of independence and encourages students to reach beyond their familiar settings, even beyond the campus. The architecture reinforces this independence with an open student plaza, central commons, large auditorium for student performances, and a student-run coffee shop.
The use of engineered metal buildings shortened the construction time in addition to saving money. Through the inclusion of advanced daylighting techniques, environmentally sensitive materials and systems, and high levels of insulation, this school will be comfortable, safe and efficient for many years.
Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School
Picton, Australia
Grades: K-7
Capacity: 250 students
Size: 35,900 square feet
Acreage: 7 acres
Lead Architect: Edgar Idle Wade Architects
"An important response to the need to include all learners in the planning—indigenous, non-indigenous, children and adults."
-John Mayfield
Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School provides a caring, supportive environment for all children, particularly indigenous children. It caters to individual learning styles, sets high standards and has a strong belief that all children can learn. The school believes in and fosters tolerance, diversity and working collaboratively. The promotion of Aboriginal culture in assisting Aboriginal children to accept and value themselves and their culture is central to the learning program.
The Cultural Centre is the heart of the school—a focus for art, music, indigenous language—a community meeting place with food, water and a fire pit. An artistic "Tree of Life" incorporates student-designed mosaics using native flora-and-fauna themes. water features and a native ‘bush tucker’ garden connect the school to the Earth.
The school’s front office counter is in a boomerang shape with two heights. The ends are child height so small children can be seen and heard across the counter.
The teaching areas have incorporated high bandwidth information and communications technology enabling computers and media to be integrated into all lessons, including wireless access to the external covered areas.
Edisto Beach Interpretive Center
Edisto Beach, S.C., United States
Grades: varies
Capacity: 100 students
Size: 7,600 square feet
Acreage: 2 acres
Lead Architect: Liollio Architecture
The Interpretive Center is a public teaching laboratory – a demonstration of how the built environment can exhibit greater sensitivity to a natural context. The project is a joint venture between South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. They combined resources and planning efforts to:
- Instill respect and understanding of the plants and animals indigenous to Edisto.
- Promote responsible stewardship for the environment (sidewalks prevent run-off; recycled materials).
- Encourage students to view the environment as a classroom, providing ongoing and authentic learning experiences.
- Promote inquiry and allow for the examination of students’ thoughts and ideas about the environment.
Set in a heavily wooded site adjacent to a salt marsh and river, the siting considers protection of the natural vegetation, careful integration of roads, preservation of natural features, orientation to views, and respect of 150′ buffers off the creeks and creek inlets. Orientation also evaluated wind and solar angles of the site and the use of xeriscaping.
Passive environmental design incorporates heavy overhangs for glass shading, high ceilings for heat collection and dissipation, low-return air grills to the mechanical systems, and corporation of cross ventilation where applicable.
Materials incorporated into the design include general wood framing (renewable resources); synthetic wood plank siding; energy-efficient glazing (thermal pane); minimal finishes (i.e., concrete flooring); wood products derived from certified sources; and natural fiber carpets and batt insulation.
Building systems integrate high ‘R’ values in the thermal envelope; low-energy use appliances; a cistern for rain water capture (for use in toilet facilities); economizer cycle (fresh air) for HVAC system; moisture control; natural day lighting where applicable; and use of sensor systems for lighting, high-energy light fixtures, dimmers and timers.
The building employees a geothermal closed-loop heating and cooling system.
The project manual required an overall reduction in construction hazardous waste of 60 percent, as well as on-site recycling and composting programs. The general contractor setup a construction waste management program, which recycled categories of construction waste. This was of prime concern, not only for the protection of the immediate environment, but because of the reality that over 70 percent of all landfill debris is generated by construction.
Keane Children’s Center/Charlestown
Boys & Girls Club
Charlestown, Mass., United States
Grades: K-6
Capacity: 550 students
Size: 28,500 square feet
Acreage: 1,328 acres
Lead Architect: The Architectural Team Inc.
"Very attractive solution to preservation and renovation of a historic building; spaces for after school education and for different age groups are provided. The internal decoration is modern and ‘romantic’ – good human scale."
-Rodolfo Almeida
Renovation of this historic 1917 building required preservation of key elements, while implementing a radically reconfigured layout to accommodate an increase in membership and an evolving curriculum. Furthermore, the building required accessibility at all levels, including the main entry, which was located seven feet above sidewalk grade off of an elevated courtyard.
The renovated facility combines a historic restoration with contemporary, "playful" elements that support the program areas, generate excitement, and encourage participation in the different programs. Specific color selections were made to reflect the different program areas. Traditional greens and burgundy were used in the study areas to enhance the historic wood finishes, while vibrant and bold primary colors burst in the arts and gaming areas.
Access to the Education Center, including the education room, discovery room and library, was relocated. The Center is now one open space, with half-walls and columns defining spaces for different age groups.
The performing arts space and connected Music Center have a unique multi-level design achieved by infilling an abandoned indoor pool. Having no fixed seating, this flexible space can be used for dance, drama and yoga and a variety of other programs. Vacant locker rooms were turned into a new Music Center and recording studio. The ceramics room and darkroom, previously in separate rooms, are now adjacent to each other in the art space.
The extensive use of interior glazing allows members to see what activities are taking place without having to enter the space. Interior glazing also enhances the visibility for staff members.
Using carpet squares that allow for replacement of small sections, if necessary, controls noise levels in the recreation areas. To provide maximum durability, products with lower life-cycle costs were selected.
The exterior courtyard was reconfigured to create a handicapped-accessible ramp to the main entry. Historic architectural elements, including stone bollards, replica light fixtures and a replica of the original stone entry plaque were reintroduced into the courtyard.
Victoria School
Singapore
Grades: 1-4
Capacity: 1,680 students
Size: 354,133 square feet
Acreage: 9 acres
Lead Architect: CPG Consultants Pte Ltd.
This urban school was conceived as a "school within a garden."
The project is designed around an Eco-Street, which forms the central artery of the linear plan, which relates to the metaphor of a learning journey. The boundaries between building and landscape are blurred, with linkways and footpaths weaving through the lush greenery, revealing a tapestry of nature enriched by student activity and interaction within an "outdoor classroom." The Eco-Street assumes the important roles of social and learning space.
Functionally, the Eco-Street takes the form of a central green lung that provides relief space between blocks, where students can linger amidst natural surroundings to rejuvenate their minds and help them learn better.
The flora and fauna provide not only visual and experiential benefits but, in tandem with the school’s emphasis on integrating nature into the curriculum, they form a stage set for outdoor learning driven by research and exploration. A departure from the confines of a classroom, this informal setting encourages spontaneity and increases interaction with the environment. Outdoor spaces are no longer considered secondary, but integrated to become the very heart of the school.
The synergy between building and environment comes alive in the perforated sunscreens with murals of renowned figures that become a historical narrative of the school. Walls are no longer silent backdrops but come alive as dynamic canvases. Even ceiling areas that are commonly down played are used to advantage by creating constellation patterns with panels and lights of different shapes and colors.
Learning spaces are designed not as isolated rooms but in relation to surrounding environment, allowing flexibility and adaptability for spillover activities. This layering of spaces reflects a climate-responsive approach where the school is conceived as a total environment.
West Point Junior High School
West Point, Utah, United States
Grades: 7-9
Capacity: 1,250 students
Size: 152,000 square feet
Acreage: 24 acres
Lead Architect: VCBO Architecture LLC
This junior high school has been created for communities of learners to work cooperatively in a variety of settings—from large group spaces to small conference rooms. It allows teachers to collaborate and to pool their talents toward the single goal of exceptional education for all students.
Classrooms are arranged into three grade-level specific, double-lobed academic learning centers, or "houses," surrounding a central collaboration space. These houses provide a highly flexible, open and extremely visible environment for group collaboration, fostering critical student/student and student/teacher relationships. Conference rooms and faculty planning offices, toilet rooms, and lockers make up a house, promoting a cohesive environment in which students may live and learn.
Individuals enter the building and move immediately into the jewel of the complex, a "glass box" that provides a striking setting for students and visitors to gather, eat, socialize, and watch performances and presentations.
Building as a Learning Tool (BLT) opportunities abound. Etched on the glass curtain wall at the building entrance, visitors read "welcome" messages in over 80 languages. The curved bridge that connects the upper level wings bears the Fibonacci series, prime numbers and the digits of pi.
The four classical elements of earth, wind, water and fire, provide identities, color schemes, and way finding for the learning centers.
"Off-the-grid" windmill power can be used to operate tools, and the building electrical meter readout in the tech lab illustrates the amount of electricity the building uses daily. Outside in the courtyard and visible from the main gathering space, students have the opportunity to study native plant life.
State-of-the-art materials and technology make this school a safe, warm, yet vibrant setting for learning.