Master Planning a School Building Design

Are you creating a school building design master plan that organizes a pathway for enrollment growth and future building expansion? Creating a master plan is essential in orchestrating growth and stimulating forward-thinking future-ready learning ideas.

A building design master plan differs from a long-range facilities master plan. A “facilities” plan analyzes conditions and develops concepts for multiple existing buildings and potential new spaces. A “building design” master plan explores immediate and future construction development for a single facility or site.

The Big Picture

To begin, brainstorm with your planning team to establish the school’s vision and purpose. Explore curricula, projected student building capacity, and distinctive features (e.g., net-zero strategies, cooperatives, community-use). From the curriculum, educational facility planners generate a program of space needs for learning zones, core spaces, specialty areas, and site requirements as well as amenities. Understand that decisions made initially are bound to change during the process.

Prepare construction and project cost estimates for the building master plan. Initial cost estimating provides guidance to determine construction phasing for enrollment growth and organizing grade configurations. For each construction phase, determine the design concept, student capacity, grade-level configuration, program space needs, interior circulation connections, and how to minimize demolition or remodeling in future phases.

Project Phases

For example, planning for a Wisconsin private school has resulted in four phases. Plans call for a 200,000-square-foot 1,200-student K-12 academy, with curriculum centering on connecting skills with real-world applications and future possibilities through inquiry-based learning. Planned site amenities include a stadium, playfields, tennis courts, and parking for 600 vehicles.

Building Phase 1 is designed for 370 students in grades 5 to 12, with initial core spaces, “main street” circulation, site access, initial parking, and needed playfields. Phase 2 connects to Phase 1 via the “main street” and houses 390 students in grades K-4 and 6-12. Phase 2 also includes core spaces for final build-out of foodservice facilities, building receiving space, and student commons area. Phase 3 encompasses space for 440 students in grades K-5 and 6-12, a competition gym with locker rooms, and music suite. Phase 4 finishes the project with a 400-student auditorium, football stadium, ballfields, tennis courts, and additional parking.

Master plans also may involve an existing building. Planning with existing conditions requires additional strategies. Brainstorm how to best use existing space. Plan how the curriculum fits with existing spaces and where remodeling is needed.

Plan for…

For the space needs program, develop a master plan comprehensive list of areas (i.e., learning spaces, core areas, support functions), quantities of each space, square footage, mechanical and electrical space, and building circulation and structure. Extract areas from the list, fulfilling each phase in sequences to reach final scope.

Develop cost estimates for the master plan; break down each phase based on space program square footage and expected construction year. Include construction inflation per phase calculated over years according to need and capital campaign scheduling.

As phasing progresses, be flexible. Remember, the educational planner, facilities consultant, and architects and engineers are designing a “moving target.” Assumed knowns and constants will change, so remain flexible. While designing Phase 1, consider all phases so that spaces support interim student capacities, building connections minimize future demolition, and mechanical and electrical spaces are situated for best overall operational efficiency.

Create a credible master plan that fulfills the long-term educational vision. Those participating in planning and design efforts, financial support and endorsements, and those families enrolling their children in the school will be inspired to participate in an organized pathway to achieve the long-term objective.

Paul W. Erickson, AIA/NCARB/REFP, executive officer and partner, is past president of ATSR Planners/Architects/Engineers, a firm specializing in school planning and design. Erickson has 47 years of experience in school planning, design, and construction, and can be reached at [email protected].