carolyn flora thoenen 2552 north hickory lane, arlington heights IL 60004 cari4231@vt.edu 847 987 1387
education
skills
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia Bachelor of Architecture expected 2016, GPA 3.91 Minors in Theatre Arts and Psychology Buffalo Grove High School, Buffalo Grove, Illinois Graduated 2011 with Highest Honors
Proficient in Architectural Drawings, AutoCAD, Illustrator, InDesign, Microsoft Office, Model Making, Photoshop, Revit, Rhino, Sketch-Up, V-Ray Rendering, 3dsMax Rendering
experience
activities & affiliations
Schuler Shook, Chicago, Illinois Summer, 2013 Theatre Design Intern Worked directly on design projects in all phases AutoCAD documentation and design of stage lighting, rigging, seating, platforms, etc. Researched University Music Facilities for programming solutions Assisted with site visits during Construction Observation Researched Net and Gross Area of performance spaces to calculate an accurate ratio Created and designed resource sheets for future marketing use
Enrolled in the NCARB Intern Development Program
Lenscrafters, Arlington Heights, Illinois 2012 - 2013 EyeCare Advisor Consulted with customer to identify needs and desires in selecting and purchasing the right eyewear Provided an outstanding patient experience on pre-test eye exams, as well as minor repairs on eyewear Maintained administrative duties within doctor office and retail floor Kumon, Buffalo Grove, Illinois 2008 - 2011 Math Instructor Tutored students ages 5-16, worked with clients to create an appropriate lesson plan Applied Design, Mount Prospect, Illinois Architecture Intern Assisted on local design projects using CAD
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Summer, 2009
Member of AIAS Virginia Tech Chapter Virginia Tech University Honors Student Theatre Involvement Building Crew for the Studio Theatre at Virginia Tech Studies in sound technology and board operations at Virginia Tech Technical Crew at Buffalo Grove High School; designed / built sets, created sound programs for theatrical productions, operated the sound board during shows Assistant director for two full length student theatre productions Music Concert Band at Virginia Tech Drum Major for Marching Band at Buffalo Grove High School Academic Competitions WYSE (Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering) state finalist in 2011 CAUS (College of Architecture and Urban Studies) First-Year Design Competition, 2012 Naef Toy Design Competition, 2012 CAUS Second-Year Design Competition, 2013 CAUS Third-Year Design Competition, 2013 RCI, Inc. Student Design Competition, 2013 CEFPI (Council of Educational Facility Planners Intl.) Student Design Competition, First Place, 2013
third year
dynamic learning 04 cefpi competition winner organic plaza 10 schuler shook 16 summer internship work
second year
cultural olympic park 22 urban amphitheatre 28 kunming city dwelling 34 rebuilding home 40 crystalline chapel 46
theatre studies
tangled life 52 roots of creation 54
“Millions of men have lived to fight, build palaces and boundaries, shape destinies and societies; but the compelling force of all times has been the force of originality and creation profoundly affecting the roots of human spirit.” -Ansel Adams
In the consumerist society we inhabit today, it is difficult to retreat from the barrage of media focus on wealth. This production takes people from all walks of life into one of their most beloved iconic theatres - Hamer Hall. They enter through the gold and velvet interior to take their seats for what is expected to be a typical production of Sleeping Beauty. While they are brought on a journey of joy paused, fought for, and found through love - the space they entered through is being drastically altered. It is the end of the show, and instead of the lights coming up, a single spotlight shines from a “hole” in the roof. The theatre appears to be in shambles. The audience looks around, confused but still reeling from the show. They exit into hallways that have physically crumbled around them, vines and stones littering the ground. They stumble through the destruction, and as they pour back into the outside world they are greeted by a lone man with a digeridoo. A child approaches him and he starts to play. A crowd gathers and a few aborigines join in the music. As the people are faced with the roots of their culture, they are truly face to face with themselves. DYNAMIC LEARNING
PRICES FORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS. PLAYGROUNDS. FIELDS. THE CONCEPT OF A SCHOOL STRUGGLES TO BREAK AWAY FROM THIS TYPICAL ORGANIZATION SUBSEQUENTLY, THE STUDENTS OF TODAY HAVE GROWN TO SEE THE ENCLOSURE OF A CLASSROOM AS THEIR ONLY “LEARNING” SPACE THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO BREAK THAT STIGMA. THE BUILDING ENCLOSURE OF THE SCHOOL ENTWINES ITSELF AROUND AND THROUGH THE SITE, CREATING AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF ITS WALLS. TEACHERS CAN AT ANY POINT BREAK FROM THE TYPICAL CLASSROOM LECTURE, WALK ACROSS A HALLWAY, AND TAKE THE KIDS OUTSIDE TO STUDY THE PLANT LIFE OR WATER FLOW. STUDENTS GET REAL-WORLD INTERACTIONS WITH LIFE AROUND THEM, AND COME TO REALIZE THAT LEARNING CAN TAKE PLACE ANYWHERE, NOT JUST WITHIN THE CONFINES OF A SCHOOL. USING THE PARTI OF DNA, THIS SCHOOL PROMOTES CONSTANT, DYNAMIC LEARNING THROUGH INTERCONNECTED SPACES OF ACTIVITY, EXPLORATION, COMMUNITY, AND CREATIVITY.
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ART AND MEDIA FOCUS COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS SITE RELATIONSHIP HEALTH AND EXERCISE DISCOVERY AND PLAY SCIENCE AND EARTH FOCUS
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A C A) Vehicular CirculaƟon B) Bus CirculaƟon C) Community Plaza D) Study Plazas E) Playgrounds F) Art/ Health Gardens G) BioltraƟon Basin
1) AdministraƟon 2) Library/ Media Center 3) Community Space 4) Art Wing 5) Gym 6) Cafeteria 7) Science Wing
THE SPREAD OF LEARNING IS NOT JUST VERTICAL - BREAK OUT SPACES CONNECT DIFFERENT GRADES WITH EACH OTHER AS WELL AS WITH THE COMMUNITY SPACES, ALLOWING FOR CONTINUOUS BREACHING OF THE USUAL AGE GAP. UNIQUE CREATIONS ALLOW FOR THE STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN MORE THAN ONE THING AT A TIME, ALL THE TIME.
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extras
woodworking 56 competition boards 58
Melbourne: a city defined by the rise and fall of the Australian gold rush.
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
Hamer Hall: a space carved from the earth - then reclaimed and doused in gaudy glamour.
A
A
FIRST FLOOR PLAN SCALE 1:100
2500 people 50+ technicians 20 performers 10 aboriginal performers 1-2 hours
SECTION A-A SCALE 1:16
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Classrooms. Playgrounds. Fields. The concept of a school struggles to break away from this typical organization. Subsequently, the students of today have grown to see the enclosure of a classroom as their only learning space. This project seeks to break that stigma. The building enclosure of the school entwines itself around and through the site, creating ample opportunities for learning within and outside of its walls. Teachers can at any point break from the typical classroom lecture, walk across a hallway, and take the kids outside to study the plant life or water flow. Students get real-world interactions with life around them, and come to realize that learning can take place anywhere, not just within the confines of a school. Using the parti of DNA, this school promotes constant, dynamic learning through interconnected spaces of activity, exploration, community, and creativity.
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ART AND MEDIA FOCUS COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS SITE RELATIONSHIP HEALTH AND EXERCISE DISCOVERY AND PLAY SCIENCE AND EARTH FOCUS
The spread of learning is not just vertical - break out spaces connect different grades with each other as well as with the community spaces, allowing for continuous breaching of the usual age gap. Unique creations allow for the students to engage in more than one thing at a time, all the time.
CIRCULATION INTER-FLOOR LEARNING CENTRAL STAIRWELLS
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playgrounds
library/media center gymnasium
cafeteria
art wing
science wing
soccer and baseball fields
community space study plazas
vehicular circulation
community plaza
biofiltration basin art/health gardens
l e a r n i n g
administration
d y n a m i c
bus circulation
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An exploration of the waste cycle on a human scale The plaza focuses on bringing a normally invisible process - waste management - to the forefront of design. Drawing from the site topography and nearby waterfall, grids defining the bathrooms and water flow interact with changing elevations to create public and private areas. Located near the front of campus, the organic plaza welcomes visitors with a functional and enticing design that speaks to Virginia Tech's focus on sustainability. With lighting powered by the nearby stream and a solar hot water panel that runs heated pipes through the buildings year-round, the plaza's adoption of a hydroponic waste filtering system is only one of the many education opportunities provided. Thresholds play an important role in seperatiing the gathering space from the individual bathrooms. Steps carry you from the unrelenting outside world to a private space of comfort and mysticism. Light refracts and catches through a faceted skylight, and the wetlands that encroached upon your head as you descended are now resting on a more inherent level. The juxtaposition of these dynamic relationships creates a haven for the passerby. +collaboration with Shannon Standish
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Living Machine: a hydroponic system 1. blackwater from toilets and rainwater runoff collect and are processed in an an-aerobic tank
3. bacteria, plants, and overflow wetlands filter and clean waste water
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4. filtered water can then be reintroduced into the local landscape
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2. the water is then piped through aerobic tanks in a solar greenhouse for nitrification
g a n i c p l a z a 15
A summer with Schuler Shook was the best hands-on experience I could have asked for as an aspiring theatre designer. I was able to work directly on design projects in all phases but particularly fine-tune my AutoCAD work. The following are a selection of the drawings and detail sheets that I worked on during my internship.
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WORK LIGHTS
MASTER LIGHTING CONTROL
HOUSE LIGHTS
SMRP-XX
WORK LIGHTS
MASTER LIGHTING CONTROL
HOUSE LIGHTS
SMRP-XX
CRP-XX
LIGHTING NETWORK
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A
C
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AUXILIARY CONSOLE
THRUST THEATRE ELECTRICAL COORDINATION DETAILS
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RECITAL HALL ELECTRICAL COORDINATION DETAILS
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CRP-XX LIGHTING LIGHTING NETWORK NETWORK
LIGHTING NETWORK
LIGHTING NETWORK
AUXILIARY CONSOLE
CRP-XX LIGHTING NETWORK
CRP-XX
LIGHTING NETWORK
DMX IN
AUXILIARY CONSOLE
TH/CDS
LIGHTING NETWORK
CDS
LIGHTING NETWORK
CT
LIGHTING NETWORK
CRP-XX CRP-XX NETWORK
CRP-XX CRP-XX LIGHTING NETWORK
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DIMMING SYSTEM - FACEPLATE DETAILS
LIGHTING NETWORK
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THRUST THEATRE RIGGING DETAILS
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Olympic parks have a tendency to define the atmosphere of the games. However, when the Games are over, cities struggle to hold onto the legacy that once was. This plaza and amphitheatre space are designed not only to be a lively interaction point for the public during the Games, but after as well. Located on the banks of the IJ along the North Sea Canal, the amphitheatre serves as a viewing platform for both the stage area and recurring water events, such as SAIL Amsterdam. The structure is monolithic and cradled in the earth, declaring its permanence. The plaza functions as a tram, pedestrian, and bicycle crossing point, as well as being a setting for recreation, relaxation, and public art. Shops line the walkway and a fountain is central within the main open space, announcing its presence to the city. The risers above the plaza and seating within create a miniature theatre experience, as people can stop to sit and observe the happenings of their fellow inhabitants. During the games, the plaza is to be full of shops and Olympic exhibits, which can be extended to enhance public interaction on the site.
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c u l t u r a l
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The landscaping of this project was determined through careful considerations of slope and viewing angles. Creating secluded areas to juxtapose open space led to paths that carved themselves into the earth. This separation of spaces in such a distinct manner will allow for many future uses of the space. Allowing the pathways to take the user on a journey created a unique viewing experience as one travels adjacent to the waters of the IJ. Choosing to walk up and overlook the main plaza, travelers can pause and watch the fountain or continue to the amphitheatre. Approaching this monolithic structure from any angle isa bit daunting, but purposefully so. As one walks into the structure, they are compressed and released into an open space with a beautiful view down the Canal, reminding them of the central aspects of their city and culture.
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Cities are on the rise. But the suburban atmosphere is still something most people yearn for, especially when raising a family or connecting as a community. In the setting of a city, this sense of community can be hard to come by. Tasked with the way to bring that feeling into a typical high rise tower in the middle of Manhattan, the response was simple : give them a place to come together. To laugh, to sing, to perform, to respond, to relax. Designed to amplify mic-less performances, this small theatre space mimics the casual feel of a small public park or amphitheatre, yet aligns with the standards of high-class city living.
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Much more than just a place to watch performances, the amphitheatre space creates a focal community gathering place. It defines and enhances the neighborhood feel that is lacking in the city. Locals can meet friends, sit to rest and eat lunch, or come together to watch the sun set over the Hudson River. Groups can put on impromptu shows or stage events to bring the community ideals into our growing city lifestyle.
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a m p h i t h e a t r e
SECTION A-A
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The ever-expanding culture and population of the Chinese nation has lead to housing being packed closer and closer together in unrelenting faceless towers and slums alike. A push towards reclaiming their cultural identities and quality of life led to the idea of a new urban village. This design would be one building of the many unique studies done to create such a village. The enclosure holds a bookstore on the lower two floors, and two separate apartments on the upper three. A focus was made to distinguish public and private space while also allowing for the variations and responses to light and climate. Louvers of varying angles cloak the upper floors of the building, allowing views out and light in. The garden in the back shelters residents from the busy street while also allowing them outdoor community space.
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The louver system responds to the varying degrees of public and private space within the building. The main living spaces are very open, while more private rooms have lower visibility.
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k u n m i n g
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d w e l l i n g 37
The bookstore and the apartments take ideals from the concept of Raumplan. Varying levels create and define space without the need of solid walls. This allows for a more connected space and a purposeful flow of circulation. Defining a route influences the views and interpretation of the space.
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k u n m i n g
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A modular exploration of identity after a natural disaster, this project sought to find a solution to the temporary feel of shelter housing. With a simple module of construction given, the resulting design is one that gives the users the ability to rebuild their house, with the chance of finding home again. The project has a strong axial focus, keeping the living spaces focused and central. Originally designed for a community in Louisiana, the porch is the center of the home, with steps welcoming neighbors and friends to enter and fill the space. The louvered exterior is simple but can fold back upon itself to keep a flow through the living space onto a back garden. This garden space may seem small, but is critical in finding a place one can be in control of and benefit from.
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The foldable partition wall allows the residents to open up their home to their new community and create a central gathering space. A sense of ownership manifests and gives the user back some sense of control after the disaster.
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r e b u i l d i n g h o m e
NORTH-EAST ELEVATION
SOUTH-EAST ELEVATION
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A campus is a pretty busy place. Students constantly circulating from one class to another, lectures and homework and projects repeating in their heads. Never stopping to breath or think about their day. A chapel is a place of reflection and peace. It can be religious, it can be spiritual, but it does not have to be. This project takes the basics of a chapel and recrafts them to fit the hectic student lifestyle. A gathering place is created outdoors, while upon entering the student is given a moment of darkness and quiet. Following the curve into the belly of the chapel one finds a place to sit and relax. A focal lightwell brings in the light from outdoors, while faceted glass panels pick up and reflect variances and shadows. As time passes, the pattern changes : always dynamic and reflective of the outdoor world. Bringing a sense of wonder and beauty to the space, it allows the visitor’s mind to wander and discover what is truly important in their busy life.
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Multiple explorations of media were explored during this project to see if the space could be further defined by the results. Sketches were used originally to discover the ideal lighting and shadows created in the space. Modeling became a way to test the assumptions made through photographing and analyzing the resulting images. This chapel space was defined by a focal light well that was difficult to portray in any media, so the process of rendering was explored. The faceted glass panels and textures created interesting spacial interactions and complex refractions. The geometry of the space itself was not as difficult to capture, proving the earlier assumption of the curve as the defining divider of space.
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c r y s t a l l i n e
c h a p e l 49
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c r y s t a l l i n e c h a p e l
WEST
The creation of a gathering place was also a crucial part of the design. The plaza that the chapel sits on is often overlooked, and by defining the space within the curve a meeting place is discovered.The move of the curve itself is so indepedent it continues on its own away from the building. This move both sets this curve apart and gives it root within the site. Upon entering the chapel, the curved wall pulls you along it and deposits you at the focal space : the refracting light well.
NORTHWESTNORTHWEST
NORTHEAST NORTHEAST
NORTHEAST NORTHEAST
SOUTHEAST SOUTHEAST
SOUTHEAST SOUTHEAST SOUTHWEST SOUTHWEST
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Intertwined, we all influence each other in ways unseen. This piece attempts to document the interactions surrounding one human's life. The thin lines are made visible and the web that surrounds the single person becomes tangled and untangled and pushed around and cherished and suffocated by the golden ribbons meant to enlighten and breathe life. Projections jut from the ground mental and physical barriers created to hide and reshape the one life. Climbing and tumbling across and around obstacles that may have been self-inflicted, the person struggles to climb to freedom. Trapped and overpowered they break and snap and throw themselves from the ledge to escape and they dangle by one golden strand spinning and twirling, suspended, the singular life pushed over the edge by tens of thousands of needs and taunts and unfulfilled promises; is slowly and surely pulled back up. one person stands at the other end of that golden thread, holding on for dear life. saved. it only takes one.
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SCALE: 1/64” = 1’-0”
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In the consumerist society we inhabit today, it is difficult to retreat from the barrage of media focus on wealth. This production takes people from all walks of life into one of their most beloved iconic theatres - Hamer Hall. They enter through the gold and velvet interior to take their seats for what is expected to be a typical production of Sleeping Beauty. While they are brought on a journey of joy paused, fought for, and found through love - the space they entered through is being drastically altered. It is the end of the show, and instead of the lights coming up, a single spotlight shines from a "hole" in the roof. The theatre appears to be in shambles. The audience looks around, confused but still reeling from the show. They exit into hallways that have physically crumbled around them, vines and stones littering the ground. They stumble through the destruction, and as they pour back into the outside world they are greeted by a lone man with a digeridoo. A child approaches him and he starts to play. A crowd gathers and a few aborigines join in the music. As the people are faced with the roots of their culture, they are truly face to face with themselves.
54
"Millions of men have lived to fight, build palaces and boundaries, shape destinies and societies; but the compelling force of all times has been the force of originality and creation profoundly affecting the roots of human spirit." -Ansel Adams
Melbourne: a city defined by the rise and fall of the Australian gold rush. Hamer Hall: a space carved from the earth - then reclaimed and doused in gaudy glamour.
2500 people 50+ technicians 20 performers 10 aboriginal performers 1-2 hours
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DYNAMIC LEARNING
PRICES FORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS. PLAYGROUNDS. FIELDS. THE CONCEPT OF A SCHOOL STRUGGLES TO BREAK AWAY FROM THIS TYPICAL ORGANIZATION SUBSEQUENTLY, THE STUDENTS OF TODAY HAVE GROWN TO SEE THE ENCLOSURE OF A CLASSROOM AS THEIR ONLY “LEARNING” SPACE THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO BREAK THAT STIGMA. THE BUILDING ENCLOSURE OF THE SCHOOL ENTWINES ITSELF AROUND AND THROUGH THE SITE, CREATING AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF ITS WALLS. TEACHERS CAN AT ANY POINT BREAK FROM THE TYPICAL CLASSROOM LECTURE, WALK ACROSS A HALLWAY, AND TAKE THE KIDS OUTSIDE TO STUDY THE PLANT LIFE OR WATER FLOW. STUDENTS GET REAL-WORLD INTERACTIONS WITH LIFE AROUND THEM, AND COME TO REALIZE THAT LEARNING CAN TAKE PLACE ANYWHERE, NOT JUST WITHIN THE CONFINES OF A SCHOOL. USING THE PARTI OF DNA, THIS SCHOOL PROMOTES CONSTANT, DYNAMIC LEARNING THROUGH INTERCONNECTED SPACES OF ACTIVITY, EXPLORATION, COMMUNITY, AND CREATIVITY.
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ART AND MEDIA FOCUS COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS SITE RELATIONSHIP HEALTH AND EXERCISE DISCOVERY AND PLAY SCIENCE AND EARTH FOCUS
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c e f p i
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A) Vehicular Circulation B) Bus Circulation C) Community Plaza D) Study Plazas E) Playgrounds F) Art/ Health Gardens G) BioямБltration Basin
1) Administration 2) Library/ Media Center 3) Community Space 4) Art Wing 5) Gym 6) Cafeteria 7) Science Wing
THE SPREAD OF LEARNING IS NOT JUST VERTICAL - BREAK OUT SPACES CONNECT DIFFERENT GRADES WITH EACH OTHER AS WELL AS WITH THE COMMUNITY SPACES, ALLOWING FOR CONTINUOUS BREACHING OF THE USUAL AGE GAP. UNIQUE CREATIONS ALLOW FOR THE STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN MORE THAN ONE THING AT A TIME, ALL THE TIME.
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SECOND FLOOR PLAN
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b o a r d
FIRST FLOOR PLAN SCALE 1:100
SECTION A-A SCALE 1:16
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2552 north hickory lane, arlington heights IL 60004 cari4231@vt.edu 847 987 1387