Davis High School Reconstruction

Narratives

Architect Narrative

The existing Davis High School is 87 years old. It was the first public high school built in Davis County, located at the county’s geographic center. Over the years, 17 additions were added to the building, with the last built in 1994. The site proposed unique challenges including expanding Davis High outside its physical campus to partner with the Davis Applied Technology College, which is located adjacent to the High School campus, and also with the “Space Discovery Center” for elementary age students on site. Construction for the new school is taking place while the original school is occupied on the same site.

The design objective was to create a new image of the school to patrons through a distinct campus & aesthetic appeal. The approach to and the entrance of the new school is designed inspire students, faculty and visitors, to spark the imagination of future Davis High Students and create an excitement for learning, and “sell” education to these teenagers. The architecture is open, light, fresh and exciting, while allowing learning to function. The design visually displays both the products of academic curriculum and the actual learning process. By create smaller learning communities as the core of the facility the Architects were able to convert the large student population into a micro community, compact in its social gathering spaces.

The school is designed around “next year’s” technology, incorporating not only current technology but with the flexibility to accommodate the technology of tomorrow. There are many tabletop PC labs located throughout the building, including business, writing labs, biotech and multi-media. The music department has a MIDI lab. Additionally nine, 32 station mobile wireless “labs” consisting of two carts of 16 laptops will be located in each of the eight academic houses and in the media center. Wireless access points will be ceiling mounted in every teaching space of the school as well as throughout hallways, commons, dining, and gymnasiums.

The multi-media center will broadcast ongoing school events through video monitors located throughout the curving commons circulation spine. Students will program the continuous running video incorporating yearbook and news staff programs to cover the project based academic curriculum efforts, “selling” education to the 2000+ students.

Educator Narrative

The Plan for Fostering Educational Excellence is the impetus for the design of all new buildings and classroom additions in our District. The School District Mission Statement says:

In partnership with parents and communities, we will foster educational excellence in a safe and nurturing environment where all students develop a commitment to lifelong learning necessary to contribute and adapt to our diverse and changing world. Our educational and organizational goals are guided by the purposes of education:
- Essential Skills and Knowledge
- Civic Responsibility
- Career Preparation
- Personal Development

Key points about learning and student achievement in the design are demonstrated by the use of the “small learning communities” concept. The emphasis placed on providing an environment conducive to learning is further demonstrated by the flexibility of the space and the openness of the design.

This design provides the opportunity for access to the latest in wireless technology which will be utilized by teachers as they integrate its use into the classroom for teaching and paperless record keeping.

A major component of our education process is teacher collaboration. The design provides spaces for colleagues to enjoy mutual support, thus improving morale leading to increased student achievement.

The school design is inviting to parents and provides a focal point for the community for activities which will increase the support of partnerships among the stakeholders. As a reconstruction, the design blends the tradition of the “old” with new and innovative thinking.

This plan is the third step in building design that articulates the District’s philosophy for student learning. The elementary prototype and the middle school prototype are the first steps. Small learning communities and academic houses are the concepts utilized in those designs. Students feel safe and are also able to interact with smaller groups of students in an environment which facilitates learning. The design is especially inviting to students because of the student activity oriented spaces.

Even though the project is not complete and in operation, our expectations for the design have thus far been more than satisfied.