The Bay School of San Francisco

Narratives

History, Nature and Community

Like a new organism inhabiting a discarded shell, the school carefully adapts to the existing constraints and opportunities of the historic structure. New elements of the school were carefully woven into the historic fabric of the building to support the school’s academic mission, creating connections between students and teachers, between past and future, between students and the world around them. Exemplary ideas that enhance learning include:

HISTORIC PRESERVATION: The design offers students a critical dialogue with history, connecting them to the unique qualities of their place on a daily basis. Historic fabric was carefully restored while new architectural elements are visually distinct but compatible, expressing contemporary use within the historic shell. Modern steel canopies and stairs sit lightly against the existing structure. Playful acoustical ceiling panels weave between existing columns in the Student Center. Colorful new cable trays hang lightly in the original corridors, carrying lighting, building services and wireless network transmitters. A former office suite on the second floor, where the internment of thousands of Japanese Americans was administered during World War II, was preserved as a publicly accessible Diversity Center celebrating the rich cultural diversity of today’s society.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP: The building is a model of environmental stewardship for students, faculty and the larger community. Sustainable design strategies and materials were used throughout the building. 60% of existing interior partitions were reused. 70% of demolition waste was diverted from landfills. 72% of the occupied spaces are naturally ventilated. Waterless urinals and low-flow fixtures reduce water use by 45%. Effective daylighting and energy-efficient lighting systems save over 100,000 KW/h of electricity annually. From construction through the first 50 years of its life, the total energy expended to construct and operate the school is estimated to be less than half that of a new school building of comparable size.

Innovative programming and design strategies used to manifest these ideas included:

PROGRAMMING: As a start-up school, programming and design was completed before there were students or faculty. Several strategies were used to overcome this constraint:

+ The building committee included a core group of experienced high school educators.

+ Library and laboratory design workshops were held with educators from peer schools in the area.

+ Spaces were designed with maximum flexibility to accommodate future change.

+ Key faculty were included as they joined the school.

DESIGN: As an adaptive reuse of a National Landmark structure, the design process creatively engaged both the historic context and the complex regulations governing its renovation:

+ The project was designed in conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standard for Historic Rehabilitation, subject to the approvals of the Presidio Trust, the California State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service.

+ The exterior was carefully restored to its historically appropriate appearance.

+ New canopies and exit stairs were the result of lengthy negotiations with public agencies.

+ The historic central concrete stair walls were perforated and painted, turning massive obstacles into colorful orienting devices within the school.

The new building for the school coalesces history, nature and community in engaging spaces that teach.

Educator Narrative

As a new independent college preparatory high school, the school had a unique opportunity to undertake the renovation of its campus using its mission and philosophy as guiding principles. The school’s curriculum emphasizes the interrelationship of science, technology, world cultures and religions, while its culture values a diverse, closely knit school community. Working within the confines of a historic 62,000 sq. ft. building, the campus was redesigned to meet the requirements of a 21st century curriculum while respecting its integrity and connection to the surrounding Presidio of San Francisco.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

The school’s primary community spaces — the 4,500 sq. ft. student commons and dining area with adjacent outdoor courtyard located on the ground floor form the ‘heart’ of the school - providing a comfortable and flexible assembly space where the entire school community meets each morning at the start of the academic day. At lunchtime students, faculty, and staff eat together enjoying nutritious organic meals prepared on-site by school catering staff in the full size banquet kitchen. The 3,000 sq. ft. library, also located on the ground floor, provides another primary community space offering spacious areas for individual and group study as well as comfortable seating for relaxed reading. Students and faculty gather in the library throughout the day during class and free periods. Library resources include a broad range of internet-based sources as well as a print collection of up to 13,000 volumes.

TEACHING SCIENCE

Reflecting the importance of science in the curriculum, three state-of-the-art science laboratories anchor the building at the north and south ends. The lab spaces were designed to include large classrooms to accommodate classes of up to 20 students while adjoining smaller labs facilitate junior and senior level advanced courses.

FOSTERING COMMUNICATION

Twenty-two classrooms are located on the second and third floors — for the most part utilizing the building’s original floor plan. Faculty offices are intentionally interspersed among the classrooms to encourage close working relationships between students and teachers. On the third floor the studio art room was intentionally located immediately across the hall from the digital arts room to facilitate interaction between the two programs.

OPTIMIZING TECHNOLOGY

The campus was designed to incorporate a wireless computer network to which all students connect using school issued laptops. Colorful new cable trays are suspended throughout the historic corridors carrying wireless network transmitters as well as lighting. Thus, students use their laptops as primary in-class tools as well as being able to work and communicate with their teachers and other students every where on campus.

MODELING STEWARDSHIP

Lastly, the campus design focused on stewardship of the environment, another core value of the school, utilizing natural ventilation provided by the repair and reuse of existing operable windows. Wherever possible, original materials such as marble were reused. As a result of the campus renovation it is estimated that energy use will be less than half of a new school building of comparable size.