The Mayor of SF continues to be a visionary. Case in point in the unexpected realm of ‘temporary’ classrooms. Excerpt brought to us by the good folks at School Construction News:

With 118 public school sites in San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom is hoping a sustainable classroom prototype, known as “Project FROG,” will provide an improved way to accommodate schoolchildren who are currently housed on campuses in trailers, some of which are poorly insulated and leak.

A couple of details about this powerfully unique ‘modular’ prototype:

Developed by San Francisco-based architectural firm MKThink, FROG (Flexible Response to Ongoing Growth) is designed to meet schools’ growing need for flexible, high-tech and hygienic temporary classrooms - a need brought to national attention by the recent Gulf Coast destruction wrought by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

FROG is a modular system comprising three integrated parts: the Shed, the Sled, and the Power Pack.

The Shed, which houses the actual learning environment, is a lightweight expandable frame with interchangeable wall panels. By varying the materials in the panels (such as fiberglass, tensile fabric, glass) the units can be customized for different climates and uses.

The Sled is a universal platform to which the Shed attaches. It accommodates the telecommunications and electrical infrastructure as well as the distribution for heating, cooling and ventilation.

The Power Pack clips on to one end of the FROG. Its base and rear unit accommodate the main HVAC, electrical and lighting panels and controls, while the remainder of the compartment can serve various specialized user functions ranging from a restroom to fume hoods and other specialized lab equipment.

The system can be received as a kit of parts or preassembled and brought onsite as a single unit. Bakir Begovic, vice president of B&H Engineering, the designer of FROG’s metal panels, says that every single kit can be put together “in two weeks by two people” without heavy equipment.

So, do you think San Francisco has an eye on the future of temporary learning environments? And can we learn anything in the process?