Moving Forward
Aug 1, 2010 12:00 PM, By Dennis M. Young
Bringing about positive change in tough economic times.
-Destination dining. The school cafetorium was developed in the early 1990s, so it is nothing new. But this model has evolved into a lively food court with greater potential for a variety of uses by school staff and the community. Today’s cafetoriums include storage space for platforms and other equipment used in performances and assemblies. They include small rooms along the perimeter with pull-down screens and projectors, which can serve as staff dining rooms or meeting rooms during the day and as community meeting rooms in the evening.
Kitchens are zoned to isolate the heavy-equipment and food-prep areas from the front of the house, which offers access to microwave ovens, ice machines, beverage cooler, coffee and tea makers, etc., to serve students and those who are using the performance/assembly space or meeting rooms.
Functional, durable, attractive finishes and furnishings, a sound system, and a range of lighting—from daylight to performance lighting to neon accents—makes the space attractive to a wide range of users. The use of bold graphics and color brands the cafetorium as a unique school and community space.
-The school "Y." In the 1980s, many school districts skimped on the size of their gyms to save money. Today, they view the gym as a true hybrid recreation/physical education/assembly space, and the associated fitness facilities as a draw for students and the community. Today’s gyms are being sized for the existing population and future projections (based on the master plan). They are designed so that they can be used for graduation and divided into multiple sections for daily use. The larger sizing also accommodates running tracks, either hanging or at floor level.
More institutions also are taking cues from the community, and including features and amenities that parents might otherwise pay for in a membership at the local YMCA or another sports club. For example, one elementary school in a moderate-income community included fitness rooms with glass walls.
-Main Street. In many school facilities, the traditional entrance lobby is being transformed into a wide Main Street corridor, which serves not only as a circulation route, but also as a space for learning outside the classroom, supervised interaction and community participation.
Designed at a scale appropriate to the age level, these spaces may incorporate high ceilings, natural light and museum-style lighting for student art exhibits—even digital wallpaper. The prudent use of high-quality materials such as stone and terrazzo in public spaces where they have the highest impact delivers the best value for every dollar.
-LEED principles. Even in difficult times, school leaders see the value of teachable moments about environmental sustainability. They may not be spending millions of dollars on high-tech sustainable systems, such as geothermal heating and cooling systems. However, they are using practical, economical and educational examples of sustainability, including use of local building materials; native plant gardens; photovoltaic or low-voltage landscape lighting; rainwater-collection barrels; and recycling centers.
Young is president and CEO of Wm. B. Ittner, Inc., Architects, St. Louis, an educational facilities planning and design firm with a 100-year history. dennisy@ittnerarchitects.com.
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