Overview Instructions

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Ralph Ellison Campus, Chicago

Many schools were designed for the past and don’t reflect the 21st century learning environment. Some buildings need better ventilation or lighting, while others are simply not large enough to accommodate students comfortably. For this project, you are encouraged to envision an improvement for your school, something that would benefit everyone who uses it. The most successful designs will be ones that identify a specific need and present a strong design solution. The challenge is to add something that changes the footprint of your school building, while addressing a specifically identified need. Projects should include research and development, real world images and information showing why the need exists, in addition to final project design and information.

My main concern about my school is the overpopulated students in each classroom and overcrowded student in the halls. Most fights start because of this problem. To avoid this would be simply creating another building. To remove all the freshman and have them in their own environment would have many positive outcomes. Most freshman start out shy and insecure about themselves. Once they have their own space they can mostly focus on their studies and have teachers helping them one on one. When a student starts high school on the right track they have more of a chance to be successfully in high school.
Once they have that, its most likely for them to not drop out and go to a college or maybe a university. This is what a high school should be, to have the same number of freshman graduate.

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Reeds Spring High School Addition, Reeds Spring, MO

Think About

  • What is the size of your school building? Using Google Earth and other online resources, generate a site plan for your school location.
  • What are your initial thoughts about the building? For example, is your school lacking room for art classes? Physical education? Band practice space? Common areas? Cafeteria space?
  • Talk to someone who has been at your school for a while, like a teacher or administrator. They will most likely have great insight as to what areas could stand to be improved.
  • Has anything like this ever been done in the past? If so, what were the results?
  • For more research, we recommend looking at “The Third Teacher: 79 Ways You Can Design to Transform Teaching & Learning,” by OWP/P Architects + VS Furniture + Bruce Mau. The book is easy to digest with lots of great images and design ideas, meant to inspire readers like you. The website for the book is also a great resource.
  • Search online for newly built schools and others that have been upgraded through similar processes. Do you notice anything in common among newly built schools?

juan1791's work for the Collect Information step:

Summary
this is the cite where i plan to build the new building for the freshman that is across the school.
This image shows how our school hallways are in between class periods. Its some what difficult to...
This is the site where I plan to build the new school for the freshmen, that is across the original...
this photo shot was from a window in the school. The space across the street has some buildings, of...
this image was taken from the middle of the area that I plan to build the new school. As you can...
This image is from the same spot but from another view. shown here is a parking lot, stores, and...
This is a lunchroom, the line reaches pass the lockers. It gets so packed, that everyone runs just...
I arrived here a half a minute ago, after the bell range. I believe we are overpopulated by two to...

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Karns High School Addition Plan, Knoxville, TN

Identify the problem you want to solve based on the information you have collected.

Explore at least three possible solutions, each of which will no doubt help you as you search for the best addition to your school.

  • What could your ideas look like?
  • How would it change the landscape of your school?
  • Who will benefit most from your design solution?

Try to answer these questions visually through sketching, and in words by taking notes.

juan1791's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

Summary
Here are my ideas of what the new building would look like. This would benefit the new students and it would create more job opportunities for new teachers.
This sketch is the back entrance of the new building where student can chill or wait for a rid if...
This is an entrance for when their will be a performance at the school. Its easy to enter and exit...
In this sketch, it shows the top view of the whole school and it shows how all the other sketches I...
This is an idea I had for a small weight room where anyone can come including students on their own...
This is the main entrance where the students, teachers and parents would enter and exit.
This is an idea of how the gym might look like from the inside. The classrooms and gym would be all...

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Fridley High School Addition Plan, Fridley, MN

From the previous step, where you developed multiple solutions to the design problem, you should select one of your designs.

  • What is your favorite design? Why?
  • What aspects of your school would it improve?
  • Who would benefit most from your new design?
  • What materials would you be using, and why?

Ideally you will want to create plans of some kind to communicate your final vision, so start to sketch site plans, elevations, and even a floor plan if necessary.

juan1791's work for the Develop Solutions step:

Summary
In these images, I am showing how the school would look like from the interior and exterior
This is an image of what I created. It is a top view of the space that is given to me that is...
This is the work in progress school from the interior
This part of the building would be where the art department should be held. Right under it is the...
this is the main entrance of he school for teachers and students
In this view, it shows where the auditorium is in the building
this is the first floor

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Alexander Graham Bell School Addition, Chicago

Present your final design to your class, to get feedback before completing your project. If you talked to other people while working on and researching for this project, show them your design and get their feedback. If they talked to you before, they will want to see what you’ve created! Take notes during these conversations, and try to understand their suggestions before deciding if you wish to make any changes to your final design.

Carefully take stock of feedback from others and do your best to find the information that will help you finalize your project. Someone might tell you something seemingly small, but that bit of information might be the difference between a good project and a great one.

juan1791's work for the Final Design step:

Summary
This would be how i imagined the new school building to be.
This is the floor plan for the school addition ans it shows how many classrooms there are. I would...

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