Design for Primary and Secondary Schools
Competition for Developing and Upgrading School Buildings
Sep 14, 2009
In communities where school funding is inadequate or almost non-existent, Architecture for Humanity has come to the rescue with a series of outstanding designs for new schools. More than 1000 teams registered for this year’s Open Architecture Challenge on innovative school design hosted by Architecture for Humanity.
Teams were asked to design the classroom of the future. Submissions shared a commitment to participatory design processes involving designers, students, parents and teachers. Team members also held a common belief in the need for schools to be part of their communities, rather than learning institutions existing in isolation.
The finalists have been chosen, with their designs being made available free of charge to other school jurisdictions under a Creative Commons Licence. Winning is only a start; with support from Architecture for Humanity and other sponsors, the finalists must now raise the funds to build their dream schools.
Community School Design
The school that took first place, winning $50,000, was Teton Valley Community School (TVCS). TVCS is a non-profit independent school in Victor, Idaho. Architects from Section Eight Design supported the school community in working out their building program and design.
The school’s challenge is to develop within budgetary constraints, adding space gradually. Currently the town has no community space for meetings and students are scattered at different sites. Victor is a diverse and rapidly growing community in a state with an unenviable reputation for its underfunded school system.
A distinguishing hallmark of the TVCS design is the school’s outdoor-oriented curriculum that helps children develop an appreciation for the natural world. The building emphasizes this connection with nature in several ways, including play areas that utilize natural site features like rocks, berms and trees.
Sustainable Curriculum and Building
Promoting an understanding of the building’s sustainable features was an important consideration in the Teton Valley design. Students can see the mechanical room through a large viewing window. Equipment is labelled in large letters. As a complement to the school’s sustainability curriculum, the building is heated and cooled geothermally.
Straw bale, a locally available material, was used for walls to provide thermal mass in an alpine environment. Victor is located 6,200 feet (1890 meters) above sea level and receives 600 inches (more than 15 meters) annually of snow.
Another green feature of the school is the collection and storage of rain water, including water from snow melting on the roof, to be used for the irrigation of outdoor classrooms, a greenhouse and for flushing toilets.
Green Classroom Future
This year’s Open Architecture Challenge identified hundreds of classrooms around the world that require upgrading. Architecture for Humanity has established a special fund dedicated to providing seed funding for more sustainable schools. It hopes to support schools in implementing the design solutions they developed for the challenge.
Through the Open Architecture Network, Architecture for Humanity is sharing green design and building practices. Any group of concerned parents and teachers can benefit from this year’s competition entries by visiting the Open Architecture Network site, where everyone can learn more about real schools, designed by the people who will use them.
 |
