September 20, 2017
Rio School District K-8 STEAM Academy | Groundbreaking
MEANDER (N.): A BEND IN A SINUOUS WATERCOURSE OR RIVER FORMS WHEN MOVING WATER IN A STREAM ERODES THE OUTER BANKS AND WIDENS ITS VALLEY.
THE MEANDER QUAD + OUTDOOR MAKERSPACES AT KG-2ND GRADES WITH MUD WALK, PLAY BERMS, HAMMER + NAILS STATION, RIVERROCK CREEK
THE EVOLUTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL MEANDER
Inspired by the adjacent Santa Clara River, the “meander� that runs through the site erodes and forms the buildings around the central waterway and Quad. Much like the spontaneity of the curriculum and students, the meander evolves and takes different paths, which are then reflected in the forms of the buildings. Each Makerspace has a focus to encourage tinkering and lingering, and is connected directly to the classroom environment with large, folding doors, as well as to the outdoor quad and makerspaces. Students from all grade levels can interact; a younger student can walk to the upper grade area, where they will continue advanced study in an area of special aptitude, or ask for assistance from an older student with a project or lesson. The learning environments flow naturally from one to another, like the neighboring river, encouraging students to move easily from lecture, to lab, to special project centers.
ES 3RD-5TH ESGRADE
SECOND FLOOR MIDDLE SCHOOL
GRADE MS 6TH-8TH (6TH-8TH) SCIENCE SCIENCE
FIRST FLOOR
ES
ES
FIELDS
FIELDS Quad
MS (6TH-8TH)
KG PLAY
SCIENCE
ADMIN KG VISITOR PARKING
KG DROP-OFF
STAGE LIBRARY MPR FOOD SERVICE
PARENT DROP-OFF
BUS DROP-OFF
MAKERSPACE: K-8 COLLABORATION + CONNECTIVITY
THE MEANDER CARVES ARCHITECTURE
1
KINDER / ADMIN
2
ELEMENTARY // 1ST - 2ND GRADE
3
ELEMENTARY // 3RD - 5TH GRADE
4
MIDDLE SCHOOL // 6TH - 8TH GRADE
5
MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM / FOOD SERVICE / LIBRARY
THE MUDROOM PRIVATE PATIO PRIVATE PATIO
OUTDOOR STEAM
STEAM CENTER
EXPERIMENTATION, TEAM-TEACHING + PRIVATE INSTRUCTION WHEN SLIDING DOORS ARE CLOSED
HB
FOCUSED STEAM CENTERS / MAKERSPACES PERFORMANCE / DIGITAL ARTS CERAMICS SCIENCE
READING BUILDING
GYM LIBRARY NURTURE