Redesign Your School Athletic Pavilion | 2014 National High School Architecture Competition #172
|Among the various magnet schools in the Clark County School District of Las Vegas, NV, Advanced Technologies Academy is one of the best in Nevada. A-TECH, as we refer to Advanced Technologies Academy, was established in 1994 with the goal of integrating the use of technology into academic learning. Nationally recognized and two-time Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence recipient A-TECH has distinguished itself as one of the elite schools in the country. A-TECH offers eight program areas, which include Architectural design, Engineering, Computer Graphics, Computer Science, Law, and Business. The students at A-TECH are unlike students of other high schools in Clark County. Students that attend A-TECH are excited and enthusiastic to learn because of the environment created by the teachers and staff.
The connection of physical training and mental training are very important. Physical fitness stimulates the brain and helps keep student focused and alert throughout day. Athletic facilities also create a community; students will compete and motive each other to work harder in the gym and in the class. Rather than promoting physical activity and creating a community the current design of A-TECH’s athletic facility discourages activity because it is undersized, under equipped, and lacks a connection with the school. An improved A-TECH athletic facility will add to the stellar academics, not only will the students be mentally fit but also physically fit.
Design Problem:
Despite the academic achievements of A-TECH, the school lacks an adequate athletic facility. The main reason for this, is the A-TECH gymnasium was never designed to house the amount of students the school houses today, around the time the gymnasium was built in 2000 (six years after the schools construction) there were approximately 600 students, now there are about 1,100 students. Since a new magnet school was recently built next door, they come over and use A-TECH’s fields for activities, making the area even more crowded. Currently the gym is too small, and lacks the room for multiple people or groups of people to exercises and/or play sports. The weight room is very cramped and claustrophobic; students are not able to achieve a full rotation of a workout because there is not enough equipment or space. The locker rooms are also undersized and are in need of repair. Only a few people actually are able to benefit from the lockers and the showers do not work.
The facility offers no incentive for students to want to use the gym to be active. The exterior of the gym is aesthetically plain and uninviting. Students only visit the gym for required class or for an assembly; the gym is also disconnected from the building. The long distance from the main building to the gym further discourages its use.
Design Solution:
My plan is to create a community space for connecting, cheering, and improving lifestyles through the promotion of physical activity. Phase one would be to demolish the existing space, for it is too small and can serve no further propose. Phase one, is to design an athletic facility that promotes physical fitness and has adequate space. Phase two is to redesign field around the gymnasium, into a pleasing environment that fosters a sense of community.
When designing the building I plan to make a multistory gymnasium. The main floor will consist of a reception area, male and female locker rooms, weight room, and offices/classrooms. First floor will overlook a sunken multi-use area, with a stage for school concerts and assemblies. The second floor will be indoor track for the hot summer Las Vegas days. Along with the track will be multiple private and non-private rooms for students to do individual work outs or to hold fitness classes. And since the main goal of A-TECH is to integrate technology into education, a computer lab will be added for students to be able to track heart rates and other useful things to help the student understand their own body, to help them live a healthier and happy life.
Phase two is to redesign the field to create the feel of a college campus, small little areas where people can do yoga or even have a picnic during lunch with friends. To encourage activities such as yoga or picnics a number of colorful desert plants will be added to distract the students. So the students do not feel at school, but rather feel like they are on vacation with friends. All the A-TECH gym teachers agree that a path which runs along the field and has outdoor exercise areas will benefit the Physical Education classes, as well as students not taking the class. A number of trees and shade structures to create shade will follow the path so students can exercise while avoiding the harsh Las Vegas sun.
Overall the A-TECH athletic facility will create a community which currently A-TECH does not have due to the current gym. The building will create a space where any A-TECH member no matter their current physical ability can exercise and because of the environment created will enjoy the experience. So they continue to exercise and improve their life. The building will create a healthier, more alert A-TECH student body and staff, so we can continue to excel not only academically but physically.