CONCLUSIONS

6

conclusion

OWP/P stated that when “designing schools, don’t let today’s reality limit tomorrow’s possibilities”.4 Yet, this is the way in which most schools are designed today, as they do not realize the untapped potential of the adult learner. It can be said that most mainstream education ”sustains unsustainability- through

uncritically reproducing norms, by fragmenting understanding and by recognizing only a narrow part of the spectrum of human

ability and need”.5 Through the investigation of the ways that design can influence the educational capacity of adults, transgression becomes inevitable as the spectrum of human ability is fully realized. The unquestioned norms of capitalism have allowed linear education models only for vocation to flourish, while leaving those with the most capacity for genius, behind. The thesis is able to harness

the potential of built space to explore adult education as function of true educational

integrity. It is frivolous to expect adult learner’s, with their entirely different social needs and roles, to be able to function properly in spaces designed for children, adolescents, and the immediate workforce. As such, andragogical principles must inform space, transversely, space must inform the way that adults can learn. The full symbiosis of this relationship has been realized in this thesis to provide a space that can serve everyone on their journey to fulfillment and actualization through education. To accomplish this, a few different built strategies are employed. First, the concept of layering and sectional complexity. Layers are added on to the exiting building in the form of floor plates, materials, program, and scale. It is the most widely used strategy throughout the project. It is effective as it can encompass many of the andragogical principles established in educational theory. Staggered levels create a dynamic experience of visibility and connection through space. There are places where different levels are entirely visible, and others where they are hinted at but partially concealed. The user

is consistently and entirely in

flux, as the quality of light, scale and visible program is never static at any point in the building. There is always something new to discover or a new way to manipulate space to best suit the needs of whomever occupies that space. This allows the user’s perspective and learned experience to become nullified at points, as when traditional perspectives are interrupted, there exists

more space for new ideas and practices.

Similarly, in creating a space where perception is consistently fluctuating, the learner is always oriented towards the possibilities of their education. This is critical as adults are different from children as they must see the immediate benefit

4 OWP/P Architects, VS Furniture, and Bruce Mau Design. The Third Teacher: 79 Ways You Can Use Design to Transform Teaching & Learning. New York, NY: Abrams, 2010, 14. 5 Stephen Sterling, Sustainable Education (Foxhole: Green Books, 2001), 36.

sectional complexity

radical restoration of existing structure accessible scales & non-prescriptive programming

manipulation of light & wayfinding

of their knowledge— it is not effective to have knowledge bestowed for future use as in traditional educational settings. Considering the orientation to the possibilities of education combined with fluctuating perspectives, it is clear that this thesis increases

opportunities for exploratory practices, creativity, inspiration and transgression through a dynamic educational space.

In ridding the school of traditional classrooms, the

program becomes non-prescriptive.

There are designated areas for types of activities and for circulation, but these all have the opportunity to flex and hold space for informal, avant-garde programmatic experiences. This is done intentionally to encourage user groups to wander, meander and explore different types of spaces. Spaces are differentiated through activity, but also through scale. Particularly, the discovery zones feature the most prolific use of varying scale. They are triple height initially, but encompass single and double height spaces within the same zone, visible from the collaborative working areas. There are also single person work pods located underneath the main circulation bridge. The work pods have folding walls to allow for complete porosity and cross-over between spaces, or complete closure and privacy for independent work. Although this is only one example, scale is always accessible throughout the thesis. The accessibility of scale relates back to the principles of independence and communication. As opposed to traditional models, the learner

can choose what type of space

suits them best. Similarly, there are no managerial spaces or offices (aside from storage and security) located in this project. This thesis is of the belief that education is at its

most transgressive when there are no implicit power structures.

Teacher is not superior to student. We are all students who have opportunities to learn from one another. In making scale— small, medium and large spaces accessible to all, the idea of equilibrium and equal

communication across all parties

is enforced. This may appear confusing upon first glance, however, the possible confusion is mitigated by wayfinding strategies. All new structure is reliant on the old grid; yet, it is able to exist separately while still being part of the whole. The structure

serves to reveal the new functions as well as to delineate

space. Further, the use of material and natural light help to lead the user along a dynamic path. Skylights follow main circulation routes to illuminate destinations. Important node areas (such as the entry and library) are lit from all three sides and can be seen from multiple vantage points across the building. Smaller skylights and transparent materials are used in the discovery zones to

allow light to travel from space to space. Daylight is able to flex along with the program as semi-transparent walls are moved or folded. Daylight serves as a wayfinding tool in order to create points of contrast so as to indicate where a path might lead. Daylight also serves as a tool for reflection, as in most small-scale spaces, semi-opaque polycarbonate is used to create a diffused, comfortable space for reflection and gratitude. Finally, light is used as a relational and experiential material. The main example of this is the sawtooth roof addition within the entry sequence. This is a take on the roofscape of many automotive factories within the area. As most of Ford City has worked, or been inside one of these factories, this shape is

transformed to unite people on the basis of a shared experience,

to help to break down barriers upon entry. Shared experiences have a way of strengthening informal interactions to allow for more educational conversations in an increasingly informal setting. In allowing architecture to hold space for type of educational facility, architecture is able

to transcend traditional roles

of space in education. No longer

are static spaces used for static education. Education is a liferiver, with ebbs and flows to

accompany it. The space curated in this thesis allows for people to choose their own path and rekindle lost passions in a space designed to accommodate all different modalities of learning. The strategies used in this project of visible layers, accessible scales, fluctuation of perspective, radical restoration and manipulation of light and material, heighten our capacity to learn fully. In understanding the current vocational norms of Ford City, and intentionally subverting them through the curation of

exploratory space, the full symbiotic power of education

and space is actualized. May