Inderkum High School

Narratives

Architect Narrative

Ideas
1. Plan an educational complex comprised of a High School, City Library, and Community College, be the focus of a new town center, and be adjacent to a 200-acre regional park. Sharing, joint use, and cooperation between/among the participants for the benefit of all was the main goal.
2. A compact one building scheme to reduce site area and allow close proximity of above functions.
3. Daylighting: 50% of the classroom are 100% daylit, 25% are 50% daylit.

Innovations
1. The planning of the project was initiated by the School District in the form of a steering committee that included representatives of the key functions plus city planning department, parks and recreation, light rail, and property owners. This group met and crafted a mutually agreed goal of a joint use project. The architects were brought in to create masterplan schemes for discussion by the entire group.
2. The concept of the high school in a single building with a large central space allowed more control of the facility with close proximity to the other functions on fewer acres.
3. The educational specification and resulting program was created after the masterplan was approved. This allowed interview questions to be specifically related to the site concept and implied building configuration during the programming. One result was the consideration of block scheduling of classes; which gave the design team feedback and direction for the schematic design process.
4. With daylighting as one goal for enhanced learning spaces, the district accepted the architects idea for the application of photovoltaic panels for electrical generation and added the request for an energy efficient geothermal mechanical system for a majority of the facility. This actually freed the roof of mechanical units for more photovoltaic panels.
5. Design reviews went beyond the school district and included all the neighbors and stakeholders in the project. This resulted in a more involved design process resulting in a better overall educational complex.

Solution
If the three main functions are to share resources, curriculum, and facilities they needed to be in close proximity. This concept of a High School in one building was settled on early in the planning stage. The High School, CC and Library formed an outdoor courtyard named the academic quadrangle. This “quad” serves as mutually accessible neutral space. The cafeteria, used by the High School and CC, opens onto this space. The High School theater backs onto the quad and forms an amphitheater. All three major participants are close enough to use the other’s facilities.

The High School resolves itself into a 2-story structure of four classroom modules surrounding a main enclosed multi-purpose atrium. The atrium is daylit, serves as the main social/circulation space, dining area, lobby pre-function space for the theater and gymnasium and has a photovoltaic array on its roof. Circulation is planned so that travel between modules passes through the atrium/multipurpose. The atrium has two main points of entry; one from the parking the other from a bus drop–off area.

Educator Narrative

Ideas

The design of this high school campus supports the educational program in many ways. It is a unique setting in a new developing area. The campus is in one end of a Regional Park and part of a master planned “Town Center”. The educational complex will include the high school, a community college center, and a joint use public library. This complex relates to planned retail businesses that will provide real life experiences for school to career opportunities. The high school classroom, theater, and gyms are all in one building. We wanted the staff and students to feel safe at school and for the school to blend into and be a part of the Regional Park. The building provides the security rather than a fence around multiple buildings.

The social development of the students is integral in the design of the building. The center of the building is a very large Atrium. Students will gather in the Atrium between classes and interact with their friends and classmates. With the addition of folding tables at lunch time, the Atrium becomes the indoor eating area at lunch time. It also serves as a student and community gathering place for extra curricular activities when it becomes the Lobby for the Theater and the Gym. Students will not stand in the traditional cafeteria line and have limited dining selections. The “cafeteria” is a food court very similar to what one would find in a modern mall. The students dietary needs and desires will be accommodated.

Key to the academic program and student success is the opportunity for smaller communities of learning that the four two-level towers provide. On each level in each tower there are classrooms, an office area for the teachers that teach in that area, student and staff restrooms, an open office for a secretary, and private office space for a counselor or vice principal. The instructional program in each tower and floor will be configured to allow teachers to have interdisciplinary collaboration and share the same students. The smaller community of learners will be supported by decentralized secretary and counselor or vice principal. Attendance, counseling and discipline will be handled right in the area where the classes are. Passing time between classes will be efficient because the restrooms are conveniently located and, except for some courses requiring specialized facilities, such as science and physical education, students won’t need to leave their smaller community. The proximity of the Community College Center and the sharing of facilities will facilitate a blended high school/community college program. In many cases students will be co-enrolled and able to make college courses that meet both high school graduation requirements and earn community college credits leading to degrees and/or certificate programs.

Our belief is that the secure and personal environment provided by the design of the building and a combination of the social spaces and extensive use of day lighting, the students will thrive.