Spring 2010
Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools Analysis Report
AENG 321 – Introduction to Architecture Dr. Ahmed Sherif Teaching Assistant: Irinie Wanis “As I enter these doors, I am prepared to learn” Amr Tawfik‐Katherine Antaki‐Lilian Mina‐Nehad Kamel‐Yousra Gomaa The American University in Cairo Spring 2010
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Table of Contents Introduction Objective of Project 1 Literature Review 1. Pre‐Design a. Developmental Guidelines b. Planning Guidelines 2. Description of Project: a. Site Planning ‐ Site Size ‐ Playing Field Sizes ‐ Site Design Concepts b. Circulation ‐ Exterior Concepts ‐ Interior Concepts ‐ Design Configuration 3. Design (Properties/Issues) a. Materials b. Acoustic Control c. Interior Design ‐ Flexibility ‐ Technology ‐ Interior Facilities ‐ Furnishings ‐ Security ‐ Codes 4. Building Services: a. Structural Systems ‐ Fire Safety b. Mechanical Systems ‐ Heating, Ventilation and AC c. Electrical Systems ‐ Lighting
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Local Case Study: The American International School in Egypt 1. Introduction: a. AIS – American International School of Egypt 2. Description of Project: a. Site Planning b. Circulation 3. Design (Properties/Issues) a. Materials b. Acoustic Control c. Interior Design 4. Building Services: a. Structural Systems b. Mechanical Systems c. Electrical Systems
International Case Study: Long Beach International Elementary School in USA 1. Introduction: a. Long Beach International Elementary School in USA 2. Description of Project: a. Site Planning b. Circulation 3. Design (Properties/Issues) a. Materials b. Acoustic Control c. Interior Design 4. Building Services: a. Structural Systems b. Mechanical Systems c. Electrical Systems Comparison Checklist and Conclusion References
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
INTRODUCTION The architect who designs a school building cannot think only in terms of shelter, or blueprints, or brick and stone and steel. The architect must think about the individuals who will use the building. The architect must think about the job the building should help to do: the full development of all of each student’s potentials. If the architect keeps these things in mind, he may be able to contribute to the achievement of the educator’s goals by creating a building that is a tool for the teacher and an expression of the school’s educational approach by creating an atmosphere, a mood, to aid the student in every learning task set before him by making the school a place the student looks forward to entering, and one he regrets leaving.
OBJECTIVE OF PROJECT 1 Project 1 aims at reaching proper and detailed criteria of a successful elementary school design. Through research and reading of different literature and through the analysis of two case studies: one local case study in Egypt and another international case study in the US, one can settle on a checklist for elementary school design and use this as basic reference in Project 2 of the course.
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
LITERATURE REVIEW 1. Pre‐Design: a. Developmental Guideposts for Children and Adolescents: (Building Type Basics) Physical Emotional Social Middle • Apparent difference • 6‐year‐olds begin to • Family influence Childhood between growth rate of assert independence and decreases, peers are (ages 6‐9) girls and boys (girls demonstrate confidence. more important, teachers closer to end growth • 6‐year‐olds fear the become authority figures. states, boys taller and supernatural. • 6‐year‐olds have many heavier). • 7‐year‐olds are more internal conflicts, • Nearsightedness may stable, narcissistic, polite, resulting in begin to develop at 8 responsive, empathetic, capriciousness. years. and less aggressive and • 6‐year‐olds choose • 6‐year‐olds use whole can draw connections playmates on qualities of bodies for activities and between cause and effect. age and size (not gender large muscles are more • 8‐year‐olds demonstrate or ethnicity), and 7‐year‐ developed, 7‐year‐olds greater independence, olds are more aware of more cautious and show vacillate between moods, social status or ethnicity ease with fine motor and begin to sense how differences among skills, 8‐year‐olds others feel toward them. themselves. develop fine motor skills • 7‐ and 8‐year‐olds • 7‐year‐olds are self‐ and increased attention discover some of their critical and often spans. limitations and may disassociate themselves • Nervous habits begin hesitate to try new tasks, from frustrations. to appear at age 7. but 8‐year‐olds seek to • 7‐year‐olds are well create an external image mannered unless bored, of competence and and 8‐yearolds are more confidence. developed socially. • 7‐year‐olds are more conscious of position among peers; boys and girls play separately. • 8‐year‐olds prefer company and approval of peers, and exhibit more self‐control and modesty.
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Late • More resistance to Childhood disease. (ages 9‐11) • Steady increases in body measurements: height and weight (girls more than boys), and muscle growth. • Have fine motor skills. • May feel uncomfortable with scrutiny. • Many girls begin showing signs of puberty.
• Fear exclusion from peers. • Prone to outbursts but try to control them. • 10‐year‐olds mild tempered, seek reassurance from others, anger comes and goes quickly. • 10‐year‐olds most afraid of heights and dark. • 11‐year‐olds fear school, friends, for parents’ welfare, strange animals, threatening world events; are more easily angered, often resulting in physical violence, but can control outbursts more appropriately.
• Socialize in exclusive groups with own sex (boys’ groups gravitate toward bravado and competition, and girls’ are well structured and more concerned with maturity). • Develop important individual friendships, which are often fluid. • Ties to family less important than ties to peers; adult shortcomings looked at critically, often leading to conflicts.
b. Planning Guidelines: (Building Type Basics) Elementary schools usually include grades 1 through 5 or, sometimes also grade 6. Elementary schools often also include prekindergarten and kindergarten. The program elements of an elementary school can be categorized in three major areas: 1. Classrooms: general purpose classrooms, special education classrooms 2. Specialized program areas: music room, science room, art room, computer lab, gymnasium, cafeteria, auditorium, library 3. Administrative and resource areas: general office, principal’s office, guidance office, nurse’s office, faculty room, teachers’ resource room, specialized resource areas for remediation. Net‐to‐Gross Calculations: ‐ GSF: Gross square feet is the entire area of the plan of the school building, including interior and exterior walls, corridors, stairwells, mechanical rooms, and so on. ‐ NSF: Net square feet refer to the net usable area of specific program elements.
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
1. Classrooms: The typical size of a classroom is approximately 28 students. Classroom sizes actually range from 750 to 1000 NSF. As students of elementary schools need to sit either at individual tables and chairs or at group tables, classroom sizes are better when they are wide and comfortable. Within the classroom computer clusters and other equipment‐intensive spaces are needed. Also enough space must be allowed for classroom materials and storage. Most elementary schools do not have lockers Figure 1: Classroom (Google Images) in corridors, so storage spaces must be well thought‐out within classrooms. Special education classrooms are sized to be the same or half the size of general purpose classrooms so as to allow flexibility in the use of space. (Time Saver) 2. Specialized Program Areas: (Building Type Basics) Music room 850–1,000 sq ft Science room 1,000–1,400 sq ft Art room 1,000–1,400 sq ft Computer lab 1,000–1,400 sq ft Gymnasium 36 ft x 52 ft–45 ft x 70 ft Auditorium School capacity x 50% x 7sq ft Library 900–1,200 sq ft2 Dining Room School capacity x 50% x 12 sq ft3 Kitchen Depends on food Program and Equipment Gymnasium Full gym plus stage; combined gym and auditorium standards 3. Administrative and Resource Areas: (Building Type Basics) Administration Work area 600 sq ft4 Waiting area 200 sq ft Principal’s office 250 sq ft
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Guidance Student health Nurse’s office Exam room Waiting area Rest area Toilet room Faculty Faculty room Teachers’ resource area Specialized resource rooms for remediation 2. Description of Project: a. Site Planning:
150 sq ft per counselor plus waiting area, if clustered 150 sq ft 80 sq ft 200 sq ft 150 sq ft 80 sq ft 600 sq ft 600 sq ft 450 sq ft
‐ Site size: •
The size of the site is not restrained to the building alone; other exterior spaces must also be well thought of. These spaces are the following; administration and faculty parking, visitor parking, student parking (for older students in high school), bus drop‐off areas, service and loading areas, playing fields and playgrounds for younger‐age children. (Time Saver)
Figure 2: Space Allocation Diagram (Time Saver)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
•
Other things must also be considered when determining the size and different elements of a school. Factors such as wetlands, easements and setbacks must be thought of when deciding which areas of the site can be utilized for building and which are not. Moreover, topography reviews, and climate and natural features must be researched in advance to analyze whether or not they will suit open areas like playgrounds and playing fields. (Time Saver)
‐ Playing Field Sizes: •
•
•
•
As we have mentioned earlier, playing fields are among the different exterior components of a school. Although most fields have standard measurements, local regulations have the final say in determining those measurements. Sport fields need the proper sun orientation when locating them on the school site; they should be oriented north‐south if Figure 3: Site Plan (Building Type Basics) possible. An alternative option for small school sites is to have one field space for different sports (for example, football fields usually have a track surrounding it for track and field activities). ‐(Building Type Basics)
‐ Site Design Concepts: •
•
There are different types of schools; some have one single building that students stay in all day long except when engaging in sports and other physical activities. Schools might also have all grades from prekindergarten to high school on one site with elementary school, middle school and high school having each their own building; it is therefore called an educational campus. These different grades might also share the same facilities like the gymnasium, the cafeteria, the clinic, the auditorium and so on that could be located in other buildings.
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
• •
•
As opposed to this type of school where grades are separated by age or level, other schools are designed more like colleges. In this type of school, buildings are separated by subjects, for example there could be a science building housing all the laboratories and other scientific subjects, while another housing art, for example. (Building Type Basics) Many issues should be considered when deciding which of the designs should be chosen: o Climate and security must be well thought of; they are crucial to decide whether or not children could move from building to building rather than stick to one building. o One building is of course more controllable and more easily secured than an open campus. o Educational objectives should also be reviewed when making the decision. o Designing open schools is more common for private schools (in the United States), schools that offer all grades from kindergarten onwards, are more appropriate for moderate climate regions (like here in Cairo for example) and schools with large enrollments. o On the other hand a one building school is typical for a public school elementary, middle or high school in the United States for example. o Organization is another key factor that every designer must consider when initiating his design of the school. Under organization come various elements: Entry sequence is very important, the designer must know what the children do once they enter the elementary school building, questions like; do they head immediately to class? Or whether they all meet in a common room? Such questions help the designer place the different spaces in coordination with what the children actually do. Other information include whether the school will have different entrances, some formal and some informal, whether the bus will drop off children at an entrance different from that used by parents who drop off their children personally. Climate conditions are also important, they determine whether or not classrooms have direct exterior access, or whether corridors are outdoor or not. Such organization will reduce construction costs, reduce unnecessary space, however if entrances increase by a lot, this could hinder the capability to monitor and secure the school. Internal circulation is another important issue concerning organization, in the case of an elementary school, children are often circulating as a class, when others are still attending their classes, the designer needs
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
o o o
o
this information to accommodate the building to such a condition, for example he/she needs to assure that such event will not distract the children who are inside their classrooms (this is where building materials and acoustic play an important role). School size and teaching methodology are other important issues, as well as cost efficiency. Schools are very much in need of natural light, in fact there are regulations to the amount of light needed in some rooms. Furthermore, accessibility, direct site access, as well as service access to the mechanical areas like the gymnasium, the kitchen and the auditorium are also needed. Solar orientation plays another important role in deciding the amount of artificial lighting and heating, as well as ventilation.
We can therefore say that site planning is not just about knowing how the site is organized or where the buildings are placed, it requires precise details about the activities that will take place on site for the designer to achieve good site planning. (Building Type Basics) b. Circulation: ‐ Exterior Concepts: One of the most important and crucial parts of site development is the coordination between vehicular circulation (buses and other vehicles that belong to either parents, staff members, or other services) and pedestrian circulation. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 4: Site Map (Building Type Basics)
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The amount of parking required should be determined as well as the space required for the amount of buses
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
• •
•
•
and expected parents dropping off their children, this varies with the grades, the location of the school and the demographics. An important factor in planning the circulation is keeping the vehicle circulation areas separate or as separate as possible from the children walking areas. The bus drop off area should be designed in a way that they do not have to back up, it should be a one way circulation (for example circular) where children go from the sidewalk directly into the bus to assure complete safety. Since we are talking about a school, it should be considered when designing the site circulation that most of the traffic enters and exists the site at the same time, therefore the driveways must be long and wide enough to accommodate such peak time traffic. The roadway system must also be designed to allow the easy access of emergency vehicles at all times but especially at those peak times, these vehicles should not be stuck in traffic. ‐(Time Saver & Building Type Basics) ‐ Interior Concepts:
‐ Entry sequence: How do students enter school? Where do they go then? How do staff and faculty enter the building? How does the public or parents enter the building? Is administration located in the centre of the school? ‐ Internal circulation: Where do students have to go during the school day? Do they go individually at each class period, such as in the upper grades? ‐ School size: How many students are enrolled in the school? Are there any sub groupings within the building to moderate the secrecy created in facilities with large enrollments? ‐ Teaching methodologies: What are the teaching methodologies used? Are there any so‐called “magnet programs” (Building Type Basics)? Is there a team teaching approach? ‐ Efficiency/cost: What is the amount of corridor space needed to serve each room in the building? ‐ Natural light: What are the light requirements for every school component or room type? ‐ Site access: What is so special in the site access? Does it allow direct access or do students have to pass by other school components to get to their classes? ‐(Building Type Basics) ‐ Design Configuration:
Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
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‐ Centralized resources with double‐loaded classroom wings
Figure 5: (Building Type Basics)
‐ Dumbbell double‐loaded classroom wings
Figure 6: (Building Type Basics)
‐ Spine with double‐loaded classroom wings
Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
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Figure 7: (Building Type Basics)
‐ Courtyard with double‐loaded classroom wings
Figure 8: (Building Type Basics)
‐ Centralized resources with single‐loaded classroom wings
Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
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‐ Spine with single‐loaded classroom wing
Figure 9: (Building Type Basics)
‐ Centralized resources with classroom clustering
Figure 10: (Building Type Basics)
‐ Dumbbell with classroom clustering ‐ Courtyard with classroom clustering ‐ Campus plan
Figure 11: (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
‐ Multi‐grade campuses ‐ Compact urban 3. Design (Properties/ Issues) a. Materials: The selection of materials is one of the most important phases when developing a project. The designer and client must find a balance between the theme and character that they want to project along with the environment surrounding the place. Clients tend to ask for durable materials such as vinyl tile floors, painted concrete‐block walls, cold fluorescent lighting and numerous wall and corner protection accessories, which ends up giving the image of a factory rather than a homey school. New products, however, are being introduced that are both durable and can be maintained without harming the environment. (Time Saver) ‐ Walls: The best‐case scenario for walls is the usage of high‐impact gypsum and sometimes an addition of a “skim coat” of diamond hard plaster of at least 4 ft., which helps improve durability. Another common alternative is painted or ground face block. (Building Type Basics) ‐ Floors: The floors must enhance acoustic quality and ensure the lack of accidents and/or the cause of injuries. They should not be slippery, if possible, may have rugs or moquette to also help the acoustic atmosphere. Having such floors are easy to clean or replace. For any areas with water or any messy materials, such as the rest rooms or art classroom, should have tiled floors. They are durable and easy to maintain. (Building Type Basics) ‐ Ceiling: When building the ceilings, it is very important to take into account the travel of sound and how it bounces off of ceilings and walls. Once carpeting is placed, it helps reduce acoustics. Furthermore, a designer should add acoustic ceiling tiles. Wall projections in terms of openings and corners must always be considered. It is highly encouraged to use natural wood for trim and casework since it is very durable and requires low maintenance rather than painted trim and cabinets. The most durable and affordable types of wood are light ones like maple and oak. The most used by manufacturers for child furnishings are maple, birch and beech. If, however, the client requests painted cabinets, factory polyester or vinyl pain coatings are durable and easy to clean however; their colors are usually limited to white or
Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
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almond. Adding plastic laminate to countertops is functional however cabinet fronts, doors and drawer fronts tend to peel and delaminate throughout time. Melamine materials should only be used on concealed surfaces. Depending on the client’s needs, the environment of the building must be spacious in relation to its function. For example, kindergarten children spend more time on the floor and, therefore, require softer play surfaces than elementary students. (Building Type Basics).
Figure 12: Building Type Basics
Balancing the material selection with the construction and maintenance funds is a very important factor in a project. It is an ongoing challenge to ensure durability and maintain a tight budget, which often tends to the use of materials with less quality to build more spaces. It is also important to consider the fact that some materials may be pricy compared to others but it in return, they are more durable; in the long‐run, the client pays less with the pricier materials. (Building Type Basics) b. Acoustic Control: Acoustic control is a very important matter when designing the mechanical and construction aspects of a building. Especially in schools, controlling acoustics is critical; to facilitate learning, voices from outside the class must be restricted while the teacher’s words must be emphasized. The architect, or sometimes in difficult cases an acoustic consultant must find the design the appropriate acoustics so that not only the outside noise is restricted but also to make sure that the teacher’s voice is not overshadowed by an access of voice waves. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 13: Definitions of Acoustic Elements (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Optimum Reverberation (500‐1000 Hz) in Auditoriums and Similar Facilities:
Figure 14: Graph illustrating optimum reverberations (Building Type Basics) •
Even with well‐controlled acoustics, noise is always an issue in schools. In elementary schools noise can come from various sources, whether it is coming from the playground outside or from the movement of tables in a nearby classroom. Therefore, a loud and clear voice is always essential from the teachers.
Figure 15: Sound Paths (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
•
There are three fundamental issues that affect how students can hear and understand in a classroom in regards to the acoustics. These three issues are: o Distance, from the source of sound (the teacher, the screen, the television…) to the student and how any background noise affects the sound when it travels that distance. o The level of background noise, the noise coming from HVAC, lighting or other systems, or the noise coming from outside the classroom, whether from another indoor space or from the outdoor areas. o The effect of reverberance, the level of reverberation after sounds which can affect the hearing and understanding of the sound itself. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 16: (Building Type Basics)
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Designers are responsible of controlling the previously stated criteria in order to ensure proper acoustic control. In most cases the acoustic control is done in the areas closest to the students themselves whether it is the floors, the ceilings or even both. For example, unless the ceiling has very high walls, it should not be treated for acoustics because ceilings are more often than not (Time Saver).
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
•
•
Figure 17: (Building Type Basics)
Controlling acoustics can range from placing a carpet to installing an acoustic tile ceiling with a specified NRC of 0.7 at least, which will replace any additional elements to control acoustics in that room, that being said, plaster ceiling are not recommended for classrooms. (Building Type Basics) Classroom dimensions are not very important for acoustic control (except in auditoriums); they are more vital for audiovisual technology, something that is not yet present in all elementary school classrooms. Such classrooms depend mainly on television, VCR and sometimes overhead projectors, nothing more advanced than those. (Time Saver)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Figure 18: Acoustic Control Diagram (Building Type Basics)
•
Not every room in the school needs the same acoustic control criteria: o Classrooms: With an average area of 650 to 900 sq ft, and average ceiling height of 10 ft, acoustic control in classrooms is usually done by using materials to absorb noises, (the noises come from either from nearby rooms or noises from the various mechanical system in the room). To successfully absorb incoming noises, the best way is to install acoustic ceiling tiles with an NCR of 0.7 at least; however, floors and walls can also be considered as an alternative. For the noise coming from nearby classrooms and other rooms, full‐ height partitions, like walls for example should reduce the noise considerably. The air transfer ducts must be also be able to reduce noise in the same manner as the walls and doors they go through, they should therefore have the same acoustic control characteristics.
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
As budgeting for school is usually limited, this should also be considered in the design of the acoustics, with a limited budget, NC ratings cannot be perfectly attained. They should however ensure spaces where voices can be heard and understood clearly, while having a limited amount of noise. For example, the best reverberation time in a classroom of 5,300 cu ft, is 0.35, and for a lecture it is 0.35 to 0.4, a classroom that could be characterized as quiet would have a background noise of 35 (NC=35), while a normal classroom it would be 40 (NC=40). The main goal to control acoustics in classrooms is to reduce the external noises. An ideal medium to achieve such goal is to locate classrooms away from noisy areas (like the gymnasium, the cafeteria, the mechanical and service area…); however such medium is not always easily achieved. Installing appropriate acoustic isolation in ceilings, walls and floors is always needed as previously stated. Sometimes, ventilations ducts are lined, and special heavy doors to reduce noise even more. Further acoustic installations can also be added to noises coming from inside the room (students themselves, HVAC, lighting appliances…) this type of acoustic control is preferred to be in higher parts of walls. Given that parallel walls often create waves of sounds, it is suggested to limit these waves by furnishings and wall finishes that help ease those direct sound trembles. ‐(Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Figure 19: Ray Diagrams in Lecture Rooms (Building Type Basics)
o Music practice rooms: This type of rooms needs special acoustics control because even high STC do not necessarily block music instrument sound from one room to the other. Such rooms usually require high STC which could be achieve by decoupled construction; either by doubling the walls and floors or by creating a room within another room. Decoupled construction also prevents the vibration effect caused by a musical instrument’s sound. Such construction is either prefabricated (usually for small sized rooms), or built following the common means of construction (for larger rooms, prefabricated versions can be very expensive) Music practice rooms are advised to be placed next to more ‘noisy’ rooms like the gymnasium, the mechanical rooms or the cafeteria rather than being next to the classrooms. (Time Saver)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
o Auditoriums: Since school auditorium are often used for many occasions (lectures, music, plays…), the acoustics must satisfy all the needs without being very expensive in regards to an often limited budget. To satisfy those needs the acoustics must be in the middle between the best reverberation time for music and for speech, (this could be influenced by the size and volume of the room among other reasons) Like other rooms such as classrooms, once again, exterior and mechanical noises should be controlled. The proper use of acoustic materials should be applied to achieve the right reverberation time, the perfect blend of reflecting and absorbing planes should be created to project sounds and avoid sound reflection respectively. Instead of have the absorptive planes on the surfaces (walls or ceilings) next to the stage, it is recommended that this type of planes is placed on the back wall, the one facing the stage. Since suspended acoustic clouds are not practical in schools, smooth and hard materials are used to make ceilings reflect sound. In some cases, soft planes are placed on the side walls of the back of the auditorium to absorb sound. At the front of the auditorium, ceilings and side walls (planes that diffuse and distribute sound to the spectators) should be close to the stage in order to avoid or at least decrease the delay between the origin of the sound and its reflected version that travels to the audience. Upholstered chairs are recommended, they too provide absorption characteristics. Curtains offer a variation in reverberation times. Circular and curved areas are not recommended for this type of room, they do not distribute reflection evenly. Air handling system are special in auditorium, they have to have low pressure fans, slower‐than‐average air velocities, meaning slower than 1,000 ft per minute, and grills and diffusers with a maximum size of 20 NC. All sound system components are essential and should be considered in the initial design of the building. (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
o Gymnasiums: This type of rooms is very hard to control in regards to acoustics, they need proper reverberance levels control or else, they become too high. Since the floor is always hard for other reasons, the ceiling is the only plane that could be treated acoustically. Acoustic material of at least 2 inches in thickness and an NRC of 0.7 is placed on the bottom side of the slab of the ceiling. If sound amplifiers or loudspeakers are used, additional treatment in the walls is needed. Gymnasiums are not required to be above or next to quiet areas such as classrooms, they could however be under classrooms (the slab has a high STC that controls acoustics), or next to other 'noisy' areas. (Building Type Basics) o Laboratories: The noise of the fume hoods should be controlled by treating the exhausts, the NC level of the equipment should be at maximum 45 or 50. (Building Type Basics) o Dining areas: These areas should be separated from the kitchen and serving areas by treating the walls and ceilings with acoustic tiles with a minimum NRC of 0.8. (Building Type Basics) o Workshops: These areas should be located to the other noisy areas we have previously stated. The walls and ceilings should be treated to have a minimum NRC of 0.75. (Building Type Basics) o Swimming Pools: In this special case, moisture resistant is a must for the material used to treat the noise. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 20: (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
c. Interior Design: To achieve a high comfort level for children they should feel at home inside their school and not overwhelmed. To achieve that the designer should know the size of children at each age and his needs. • •
For example, kindergarten classrooms are larger. All support areas of a classroom should be designed to support the age of the students using it. The following components are to be considered for successful design:
‐Ergonomics: To determine the appropriate heights of equipment and their placement ergonomic diagrams are to be used like the following for elementary schools:
Figure 21: Ergonomic Sample Diagram (Building Type Basics)
‐ Flexibility: o Multiple‐use spaces: Large spaces are not often available. That’s why it’s very practical to use those spaces for many purposes, like combining a gymnasium hall with an auditorium or a large exam room. (Ex: Gymnatorium or cafetorium) This of course requires more standardized finishing to fit those multi‐purpose needs ( Walls, floors, lighting, acoustics, heating and ventilation) and furniture that are flexible to maneuver (foldable and roll‐away). (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
o Partition Walls: are a major tool to provide flexibility, territoriality and privacy. However the whole space should be furnished to coordinated with the overall space in case those partitions are removed. (Time Saver) o Generic Materials and finishes for multi‐use spaces: Physical and visual textures appropriate for child’s age Vinyl composition tile flooring Tight‐level carpeting Neutral painted walls Separate table and chair combinations General Lighting: Especially natural lighting, should be used in a creative way to allow student’s enjoyment and a pleasing work environment that reduces stress levels. Storage areas are important to allow flexibility and more free space for circulation and other activities in a classroom. (Building Type Basics) ‐ Technology: Technology is nowadays a major factor that influences design o Needs constant adjustments and update in equipment, which is important to take in account in design o Special lighting requirements to minimize glare (see Section Lighting). o Furnishing configuration should Figure 22: Computer Lab Sample (Building Type Basics) reduce glare effect: o Finishes should absorb light rather than reflecting it: Floor treatment: Advisable to use developed carpeting systems reduce glare and eliminate static electricity build‐up Construction of elevated sectional computer floor for unrestricted and safe computer wiring. (Costly) => Or instead there are less costly but less aesthetically pleasing solutions like wiring drops from the ceiling. ‐ Interior facilities:
‐(Building Type Basics)
o Classroom facilities Depth of counters (see Figure 21) Class setup/ seating arrangement (for examples, see Figures 24‐27)
Figure 23: (Google Images)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Figure 24: (Time Saver)
Figure 25: (Time Saver)
Figure 26: (Time Saver) Figure 27: (Time Saver) o Toilet facilities: ‐> the younger the students the more there’s a need for a close bathroom. For example in kindergarten classrooms it is very likely to have a bathroom attached or inside the class. ‐> It is also important to adjust the height of the sinks, soap and the toilet cabinets to be reachable for children. (Building Type Basics) o Corridors: should be wide enough to allow student’s personal space (i.e. simultaneous student traffic and locker access). They shouldn’t be as large as in middle and high‐school because elementary school students have a home‐base classroom and don’t regularly move to other specialized classroom for science, for instance. It is very typical to find banks of lockers on the sides for storage that should support child’s size at the particular age. (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
o Art/music rooms o Administration offices: like reception desk, nurse’s station and guidance office are used by adults, Figure 28: Sample Hallway (Building Type Basics) should be sized according to adult users. However they’ll be sometimes serving children. That’s why it’s important to have a section of a reception desk for example lower in height to allow visual contact between the receptionist and the children. Also larger areas like the cafeteria, library and gymnasium should be mainly designed to support the size of children except for the personal desks of Figure 29: Sample Library Desk (Building Type Basics) adults. (Building Type Basics) ‐ Furnishings: o In selecting the appropriate size and height of furniture the age of children (targeted users) must be kept in mind to be comfortable. o Materials of furniture also have to suit the age of children and their use, such as plastics or light wood that are : Functional and easy to maneuver Surfaces easy to clean and wipe‐off (For example, chairs shouldn’t be too heavy for a child to carry and also if placed in an elementary art room it should be easy to cleanup) The ability to disinfect the materials id very important when they are used by children. Nowadays, there are many researches and new products on plastics and materials that resist the growth and development of bacteria on surfaces. Furniture should also be made out of materials of enduring quality that are durable, resistant to scratches and to abusive use by children. => Classroom chairs are more likely to be high‐density plastic on chrome‐ structures. o Furniture used in adult areas like reception or administration, should be comfortable for parents when they visit, like cushioned sofa‐type furniture. o Specialized classrooms and labs may need stand‐up work areas (see fig. #) and music rooms may only need suitable sized chairs and music stands. o The Aesthetic aspect of furniture is also important because they have to fit in the general theme of the building and visually please the users. That’s why the following aspects should be considered: From the curriculum perspective: • Curriculum taught to entire class at once? • Required books and materials used at desks and tables • Frequency of class rearrangement • Number of computers in a room
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
From the building interface perspective: • Distribution of electrical power and computer cables allowing future additions • Connection of power and cabling in a way to allow furniture rearrangement • Addressing wires management: (part of building or furniture design?) • Appropriate location of computers From the general perspective: • Durable, safe and maintenance‐free materials • Storage accommodation
Figure 30: Working Heights for Elementary (Building Type Basics)
‐ Security measures:
Security measures installed in the interior of a school are part of planning the building. o Site: laid out to ensure clearance of sight across playground and parking o Entrance: should be for visitors alone and another for students. o Security personnel should be located within the administration suite or in a remote area for visual coverage. o Some other security measures are the installation of:
Figure 31: (Google Images)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Video surveillance Metal detectors Alarm systems Theft‐detection systems Key‐pad coded locking systems (Although they might limit freedom and privacy) o Some passive measures realized in design are: Clear sight lines throughout campus with designing an open, visible and bright areas Positioning the administration adjacent in front of the entrance Provide reasons for staff to be seen in corridors Elimination of secluded areas in plan design Provide side corridors that allow student flow Provide a system of communication between administration and all other areas Interior physical barriers (like gates and bars) (Building Type Basics) ‐ Codes: o According to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) the following legislations should be taken in account in universal design: Provide equal access to all spaces regardless of an individual’s disabilities (ex: design a ramp to serve all people) Regardless of the integration of children with Figure 32: Sample Accessibility (Google Images) special needs with normal children, equal access to all people without barriers should be provided, like the following measures: • Accessible parking areas near to entrances for disabled • Automatic entry doors with accessible vestibule areas • Centralized vertical circulation • Graphics with information given in Figure 33: (Building Type Basics) large print/ Braille • Wider classroom wing corridors to accommodate various users • Adjustable and flexible furnishing and space dimensions to accommodate wheelchairs (ex. Toilets). (Building Type Basics)
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Figure 34: ADA Diagram (Building Type Basics) o Fire‐resistance: Highly fire‐resistant construction and materials supporting minimal fire spread Include fire extinguishers at regular intervals 4. Building Services:
a. Structural Systems: As a result of changes and differences in age, many construction factors and structural systems have been changed in school construction such as masonry bearing wall, wood frame, poured‐in‐place concrete, precast concrete, steel frame, and Teflon coated fiberglass fabrics which are currently used in school construction. (Building Type Basics) •
•
•
Building life: Most schools tends to last a long time, which means that most new school prefer structural systems with indefinite life spans and minimal maintenance requirements such as concrete, steel, bearing wall. Fire safety: the selection of fire‐resistant structural systems as fireproofed steel, concrete, glue‐ Figure 35: Interior Sample (Google Images) laminated beams are highly usable now in modern schools. Seismic (earthquake) Considerations: an important thing to be considered is the building’s ability to withstand seismic events.
Figure 36: Interior Library (Google Images)
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•
•
•
• •
Flexibility: it is fundamental that the selection of a structural system should not prevent or exclude future reconfiguration of space or additions to a school. The flexibility is a major factor that should be considered. Aesthetics: many architects use structural system that has dramatic effects because the structural system can be a major aesthetic consideration the school design. Figure 37: Exterior (Google Images) Long span spaces: the large space such Cafeteria, gym, and auditorium etc. are structurally the most complex space because these spaces are typically designed as one‐story (open) structures and rarely have other structures above them. These spaces usually use long span materials such as steel, trusses, precast concrete, and glue‐ illuminated beams. ‐(Building Type Basics)
Figure 38: (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
•
•
Foundation: early geotechnical analysis is very important because availaible sites often cause problems such as poor soil conditions, so it vital to peroform detailed analysis prior to site aquisition. Special issues: Special consideration must be given to the selection of the structural system for swimming pools. The high humidity and chemicals used rust many structural systems and are considered a source of many problems. (Building Type Basics)
b. Mechanical Systems: General points to consider: ‐ Interior Environment: heating, cooling, humidity control, air cleaning and ventilation ‐ Simplicity: Boilers, Chillers, pumps, and air handling equipment should be easily accessed, with space around the equipment adequate for service ‐ Life‐Cycle Analysis: Schools should be aware that energy savings and lower maintenance costs often justify the higher first costs of more efficient systems ‐ Ability to accommodate growth and change: mechanical systems should be designed to accommodate change easily ‐ Ventilation: Occupied areas: 15 cubic feet per minute per occupant of perimeter area Locker and shower rooms: 1 cfm per sq feet of floor area Toilets: 2 cfm per sq feet of floor area Kitchen‐ dishwashing: 100‐150 cfm per sq ft of floor area ‐ Air Conditioning: in order to improve the teaching environment and allow year‐round use ‐ Impact of Program: Different program have different mechanical systems ‐ Regional Variability: Recommended design temperatures ‐ Indoor Air Quality: Environmental Quality ‐ Noises and Vibration: location of mechanical rooms and selection of partition materials are critical in school design (vibration isolation mountings, particularly with a suspended floor) ‐ Program Area: space required for mechanical systems varies widely ‐ Construction Budget: varies widely according to size of mechanical systems ‐(Building Type Basics) School Components:
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Figure 39: (Building Type Basics)
‐Program Areas: Elementary Schools are typically more complex than pre‐school facilities. They can contain gymnasiums, auditoriums, cafeterias and other specialized teaching spaces like media center, music, art… etc.) ‐ Hours of Operation: Operation hours in elementary schools are from 7:00am to 3:00pm. Peak cooling load occurs in the afternoon and peak‐heating demand is in the morning at the start‐up. ‐ Basic Classroom Needs: Heating and Ventilation in all classrooms Air‐Conditioning for classes used year‐round in warm, humid climates Summer dehumidification in humid climates Economizer cycles for use during winter months Separate temperature‐control zone for each classroom ‐ Gymnasiums: Gymnasiums often have independent systems to accommodate various activities during and after operation hours: Locker rooms are often provided and positioned so they are directed to the outside Toilets and showers are also provided Great deal of Ventilation (air may be transferred from adjacent spaces) ‐ Administrative Areas: These areas are mainly occupied beyond normal class hours and when the school is not operating. They are mostly served by separate systems and are air‐conditioned.
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
‐ Science, Art, and Computer Rooms: These rooms require adequate ventilation (odors caused by animals in science rooms and some art media). Computers almost always require air‐conditioning, and a separate system is usually desirable for computer labs and server rooms. ‐ Libraries and Media Centers: In order to preserve books and other materials, libraries and media centers should be air‐conditioned. Humidification may also add to prevent winter dryness. Large temperature and humidity variations should be prevented throughout the year. ‐(Building Type Basics)
Figure 40: (Building Type Basics)
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
c. Electrical Systems: ‐ Lighting Design: •
•
The lighting system is a very critical factor in design as it has a significant impact on energy cost, health, performance and stress levels of students and teachers. (i.e. inadequate lighting and glare cause eyestrain, that make concentration of students very difficult.) (Time Saver) The illumination of a classroom is a very important and also diverse issue depending on the type of class and the time it is taught at. In the case of elementary schools, classrooms are multi‐use spaces with different activities, unlike in high schools where every classroom is suited for a specific class. So here the lighting system must be carefully designed. (Building Type Basics) ‐ Light Reflectance values in a school:
Figure 41: (Building Type Basics)
•
‐ Light Levels: In a teaching type of class it is important to ensure that: Desks, walls, blackboards and screens are adequately lit with a brightness ratio of (5:1) to ensure visual comfort and minimum eyestrain. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 42: (Building Type Basics)
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‐ Glare: It is an effect of extreme contrast or luminance (i.e. too much uncontrolled luminance reflected by surfaces and objects) that can be disturbing and frustrating to students/ teachers. (Building Type Basics) To reduce glare: Figure 43: (Building Type Basics) 1. Limit the amount of light emitted towards the eye (from a wrong direction) 2. Increase number of light fixtures, regarding the careful location of fixtures as a function of architectural design, LRV and brightness ratio of space. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 44: Glare Reflection (Building Type Basics)
3. Colors of walls also affect the lighting design: Preferred: Colors in the cool range like (soft greens and blues), however it depends on the school’s environment. (Time Saver) In elementary schools: bright and warm colors are used to inspire students. 4. Nowadays, there are more sophisticated lighting systems, like multilevel switching and dimming, where in a set of lights each could be operated individually. The use of such systems depends on the budget to be used in the school. (Building Type Basics) ‐ Electric Lighting: o Commonly used in interior spaces for reading books. (2x4 fluorescent lamp lay‐in troffer) o The use of computers has introduced new lighting needs like indirect lighting to avoid glare and reflection by using ceiling and walls to reflect light and illuminate a space softly and evenly. o Fixtures should be typically suspended 18 in. from the ceiling, spaced in rows ca. 10 ft apart. (ceiling height about 8 in. from fixture to floor) ‐(Time Saver)
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‐ Day lighting and Windows:
Windows bring: Air, Light and a view to interior spaces.
Thus they have the following effects on owner and users:
Orientation of classrooms in a plan and efficient design of windows and shading devices prevent energy loss and heat gain. *North – and south facing rooms have different requirements.(South‐facing rooms must have shades against summer sun and can in the winter bring warmth into the room) •
*West‐ facing windows should be avoided where feasible. • • •
(Building Type Basics)
Sunlight introduces a large contrast even in electrically lit classrooms. (60 foot‐candles lit classroom gains 8000‐10000 foot‐candles from sunlight) Daylight should be used to control costs with a careful design of electric system. Vandalism should be considered in the plan of school and placement of windows, like placing them in easily monitored areas. ‐(Building Type Basics)
Figure 45: (Building Type Basics)
‐ Design Guides: Schools like many institutional buildings don’t have a large budget allocated for renovation and maintenance, thus lighting systems ideally should be: • • • • •
As maintenance free as possible Very energy efficient [taking advantage of daylight} Durable, long‐lasting [long life lamps/fixtures, extended‐life fluorescent lamps in less accessible places like corridors] Tough and relatively damage proof (resistant) Fixtures/ ballasts with minimum noise possible ‐(Building Type Basics)
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‐ Classrooms: o Surface Reflectance is important o Compare life‐cycle costs with first costs of different lighting systems o Maximum daylight o Multiple switching, multilevel ballasts for multiple lighting levels if required o Use of standard fluorescent Figure 46: Sample Classroom (Google Images) cool/warm white lamps (direct/indirect fixtures) => Incandescent lamps are not advisable (Building Type Basics) ‐ Lecture Halls: (similar to classrooms)
o Preferred to use switching and multi‐level ballasts o Light switches should be clearly labeled and located at the entrance and front of the room. o Row of adjustable fixtures at the front of the room. o Black/whiteboards may be lit with fluorescent fixtures. o Use of narrow vision panels and control of light from outside the room. o In Large lecture halls, the use of spotlight is recommended to light the speaker. o Separate lights required in case board and screen are used simultaneously. o Preferred to locate the doors so that when opened during lecture light from outside does not fall on screen. ‐(Building Type Basics) Figure 47: Lecture Room Diagram (Building Type Basics)
Typical lecture room lighting using: 45deg. Baffled parabolic reflector for min. and direct reflected glare ‐ adjustable track lights for table illumination ‐ Asymmetric reflector for chalkboard lighting (Source: Stein and Reynolds2000, p.1304) ‐
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‐ Auditoriums and multipurpose spaces: o Flexible, dimmable lighting is advisable o Incandescent lamps proffered (unlike classrooms) o For writing and study tasks, fluorescent or HID (high intensity discharge) lamps may be added o In case of relatively inaccessible ceilings, long‐life lamps are preferred o Lights on steps/ tiers should be installed for safety o Careful installation of noisy ballasts (Building Type Basics) ‐ Gymnasiums: o Preferred to use tough, relatively damage proof fixtures o Multilevel Switching is recommended for multi‐purpose use (Gymnatorium) o Accumulation of dirt should be considered. (Building Type Basics) ‐ Corridors: o High reflectance walls, floor and ceiling for better use of light and cheerfulness The illustrated example shows appropriate lighting system for a corridor with side luminaries to illuminate lockers and any displays on the walls. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 48: Hallway Diagram (Building Type Basics)
‐ Cafeterias: o Soft/ glare‐free light permits a cafeteria to serve also as a work/study or meeting room for students. (Building Type Basics)
Figure 49: Sample Cafeteria (Google Images)
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‐ Libraries: o Various lighting Systems to be used for different activities and rooms. o Reading Rooms: ‐ general lighting system (like Fluorescent or HID) or: lower‐level general lighting and additional fluorescent lights at tables. (Careful use of noisy ballasts) (Building Type Basics) o Work and Check‐out areas: similar to reading rooms or even higher. o Computer areas: Direct‐indirect lighting is advisable. o Preferred to use fixtures with lenses specifically designed for the purpose (but not baffles and plastic diffusers because they don’t illuminate surfaces adequately) (Building Type Basics)
Figure 50: Fixture Diagram (Building Type Basics)
‐ Laboratories: o Choice of fixtures should be appropriate for fixed, dark‐colored benches and shiny surfaces. o Preferred use of indirect lighting for diffusion on vertical surfaces. o Location of fixtures should be parallel to/ behind benches. o Examples for possible lighting systems in labs (Figures 51‐53): (Building Type Basics)
Figure 51: (Building Type Basics)
Figure 52: (Building Type Basics)
a.) Pendant direct‐indirect units .
Figure 53: (Building Type Basics)
b) and c) quiet and electronic ballasts recommended
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
‐ Art Rooms: o Preferred the use of skylights or north‐facing windows o Constant‐Color daylight o Deluxe Fluorescent tubes (for artificial lighting) o Adjustable task lighting at desks o Spotlights for focused/detailed applications o To display artworks: => Incandescent lights, adjustable wall‐washing or fluorescent fixtures. (Building Type Basics)
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LOCAL CASE STUDY: AIS Egypt 1. Introduction: a. AIS – the American International School in Egypt: The American International School in Egypt opened its doors to its first 240 students in 1990. Today, AIS Egypt has over 1,300 students from 41 countries, occupying a new and modern campus in Cairo Festival City. At AIS Egypt, a comprehensive Pre‐Kindergarten to Grade 12 American curriculum is offered. The Elementary School has eight levels of classes from Pre‐Kindergarten through to Grade 5. The curriculum consists of Language, Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science, Music, Art, Physical Education and Library. (www.aisegypt.com)
Figure 54: A.I.S. Building View from Field
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
2. Description of Project:
a. Site Planning:
• Zoning and Climate: A.I.S. is located in New Cairo which is a new suburb of Cairo; it is surrounded by a new built project “Cairo Festival City” and it is facing Mubarak Police Academy. Consequently, the climate is mostly dry and sunny in the morning. North South
Figure 55: Site Plan (Google Earth)
• View: N = Mubarak Academy for Security S & W = Cairo Festival City E = Residential Area Surrounding: calm residential neighborhood and police controlled region
• Space Allocation: The site of A.I.S., like most other school is not restricted to classrooms, other rooms are included in the site as they are complementary to those classrooms.
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Figure 56: Space Allocation of A.I.S.
•
•
Soil is an issue to be concerned about in site planning, in the case of A.I.S., starting a school in desert was definitely a challenge. Not only in the construction of the buildings themselves, but also to irrigate the different variety of plants whether for fields or for decoration. Topography is another matter, at the school the land was not on the same level, therefore we notice that school was built on those levels, no changes were done to rectify that change in levels.
Inclined School Level
Street Level Figure 57: General View from outside
Figure 58: Busses Street
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•
Instead, the design included that topographic anomaly in the design of the streets and that of the school itself; streets were transformed into slight ramps and stairs were added to connect both levels. Playing Fields sizes:
o According to the school, the playing fields are following local measurement standards. o The idea of juxtaposing different sports on one field is a space saving creative design that AIS has benefited from; by creating a track that surrounds the football field o Sun orientation is also important in sport fields; they should be oriented north south, which is the case in AIS.
North Football Pitch
South
Figure 59: Bird View of Field (Google Earth)
Track
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Figure 60: Site Plan of A.I.S. (Google Earth)
• Site design concept: o AIS is not just an elementary, it houses classes from kindergarten to high school. The school is divided by grade, with each age category residing in a different floor of the same building. There is a floor for the elementary school, one for middle school and one for high school. Kindergarten occupies a small entity of the entire building. The different facilities however are shared by all the different levels, with the exception of the playground Figure 61: Site Plan 2 (Google Earth) which is only for both kindergarten and elementary school students. Most other facilities are in a different area from the classrooms like the gymnasium, the clinic, the playing fields, the pool, among others, and they are shared by all grades.
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o Such a design is very much appropriate for a school here in Egypt for many reasons: ‐ Climate and security are not much of an issue here in Cairo. Climate is often moderate which easily allows students to move from building to the other without danger. ‐ The design is also beneficial for educational purposes. Since all grades share facilities, this allows smaller students to learn from older ones, or even the opposite. They are being taught to deal with people their age as well as deal with other older or younger than them. o As seen above, the entire roadway of the school is placed around the school far from the pedestrian area. It was also shown how buses and cars do not share the same entrance.
b. Circulation:
Vehicular circulation should be separate from pedestrian circulation, firstly for coordination between the two and secondly for the security and safety of the children of the elementary, this is the case in AIS where we see that the pedestrian area is completely separated from the vehicular areas whether buses or cars. • The amount of parking is quite small in comparison to the school, often people tend to park outside the site to find a place which is considered a disadvantage. Figure 62: Site Plan with Gates (Google Earth) • Traffic is very much controlled as both cars and buses have a one way directed roadway, they enter through one gate and go out through another. This allows in reducing traffic at peak times. • Safety is also considered when it comes to the drop‐off areas of the buses, the process is explained by this sketch: • Even though the roadway surrounding the school is wide, inside the school it is fine but it could have been wider considering the number of cars. The real problem is with the length of the road; it is quite limited, which could create traffic when the peak times arise.
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Figure 63: Entrances (Google Earth)
‐ Entry Sequence / Accessibility:
Main Gate
Students either come to school by car or they take the school bus. AIS students coming to school by car enter the school each day from the main gate located on the right side of the main elevation. They go directly to the first floor where the main entrance of the school is located. Other Main Entrance students who take the school bus are dropped off at the right side of the building on the side elevation where they go through an arcade directly to the playground. They either go immediately to their classes passing by the Figure 64: Main Entrance administrative area or they hang out on the playground until the first class period starts. Faculty and staff enter the building from the same gate located on the left side of the main façade. During the school day, the public are not allowed to enter the building; however, after the school day, the public enter from the same gate the students enter from. Central administration is located at the primary entrance of all students, so it is some kind of a security checkpoint.
Figure 65: Busses Drop Off
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
Playground B U S E S
‐ Internal Circulation:
Main Gate Figure 66: Elementary Floor; Ground Floor
In the morning, when students arrive at the school, they usually gather in the playground waiting for the first class period to start. During the school day, students have a lunchtime where they go as a group to the cafeteria and eat their lunch. However, traveling with food outside the cafeteria is not Figure 67: View of Building from Playground permitted. Then, there is a so‐called “recess” where the students gather at the playground. During these breaks in the schedule, students are not allowed to be in the hallways of classes or near the administration area. The typical circulation is done through Figure 68: Hallway stairs; one main stairway and Elementary school students in particular travel as a class when they have P.E. or Music. Otherwise, elementary school students don’t travel that much. At the
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end of the day, students travel individually to the place where the busses park or they wait in front of the main gate waiting for their parents to pick them up. ‐ School Size: A.I.S. currently has 1,300 students enrolled. Every school component, if elementary, middle or high school has its own full‐grade groupings. These groupings are decided according
Figure 69: A.I.S. in the playground (www.aisegypt.com)
to grade level. The so‐called “houses” (i.e. Panthers, Tigers, Stars... etc.) mitigate the anonymity created in facilities with this large enrollment number. Such groups have their own “characteristics” and work always in a group when it comes to the different activities, such as football matches, and other magnet programs. (www.aisegypt.com) ‐ Site Access: Many spaces, including classrooms for lower age groups, benefit from direct site access. A.I.S. has a special design for their school where elementary school is located on the first floor, middle school is located on the second floor and high school is located on the third floor. Especially in the “elementary first floor” of the school building, students have this opportunity to have direct access to their classrooms with no need to go through the corridors of higher grade levels.
Classrooms
Main Entrance Figure 70: Main Hallway
C L A S S E S
Courtyard
C L A S S E S
Figure 71: Location of Classes
‐ Design Configuration: The American International School of Egypt has a special design concept. It is not only a courtyard with double loaded classrooms wings, but it is also a multi‐grade campus. Here, elementary, middle, and high school grades share the same campus. These levels are separated into three floors; however, these different levels may share some facilities such as the gym, the auditorium, the music room, and so on. The
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courtyard model is widely used in school design. Here, courtyards allow for secure open areas, which can be programmed for reading areas, science project areas, and other academic supportive functions. This school design takes special care to ensure that the functions surrounding the courtyard and the uses for the courtyard are compatible and do not disturb each other, thus every floor has wide hall ways that separate classrooms on each side of the wing. Sun‐study analysis was made here to ensure that these open spaces remain sunny and usable. 3. Design (Properties/ Issues):
a. Exterior Design:
‐ Façade: The school is surrounded by a 3 meter high brick and metal fence. => This gives a feeling of safety and trust for children and parents that shouldn’t worry about their children during those 7 hours of school. Figure 72: Façade • The school building has a 3 story‐ high façade that is curved from the sides, made out of bricks, concrete walls and transparent glass windows in a Mediterranean style. => As the school is located in a residential district, the use of Mediterranean style that is used in home designs like the area around it makes the school building homey and welcoming to students. Wind Direction ‐ Lighting: •
Sun Orientation
Figure 73: Site Plan
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As the building is U‐shaped with double loaded rooms (see Figure 73):
Classrooms and Administrative Area facing north (Main Façade): have the best daylight quality with minimum glare (disadvantage: classes directed to the north are very few) Classrooms with windows facing east: take advantage of daylight with a light use of shading devices. Classrooms with windows facing west: use the shading devices more than other rooms (completely closed) due to the direct sunlight causing eyestrain and strong glare. Instead they use more electrical fixtures, which is a negative aspect in terms of energy waste and costs. Library facing south: use shading devices and shutters to prevent direct sunlight which can cause eyestrain and strong glare while reading
‐ Ventilation: The school being located in Cairo, Egypt needs to face the northern wind in order to have better natural ventilation and minimize the use of mechanical ventilation systems that are very costly and environmentally harmful. However, only the main façade (administration and only 4 classrooms) is facing north so that the courtyard is not taking advantage of the northern wind (see Figure 73). ‐ Acoustic Control: Given that the AIS is located in the middle of deserted areas, the surroundings of the school are very quiet and don’t present a problem to the acoustics of the entire site. However, one can expect future construction sites (“Cairo Festival City” and other residential villas and houses) located near the school which could cause a problem in the future. The principal rule in acoustic control is separating the noisy areas from the quiet areas; this is very much the case in AIS. Figure 74: Noise vs. Quiet
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c. Interior Design: The elementary school section of AIS is in the first ground and consists of classes on both sides with the administration in the middle. The library is in the same building. ‐ Flexibility: o Multiple‐use spaces: As an example, there’s the gymnasium that is used for other purposes such as an exam hall to accommodate a large number of students, which resembles the idea of a “gymnatorium”. Figure 75: Gymnasium •
Generic materials and standards are also used like: Vinyl flooring Tight‐ level carpets (see Figure 75) Neutral paint colors (beige, white, light green and blue..) Separate table and chair combinations (from plastic and easy to maneuver)
•
Figure 76: Storage Room
Natural and bright artificial lighting (like windows and increscent lighting) Storage rooms in classes and separate
Partition walls as a tool to provide flexibility, is found for example in the clinic, where it used for separation and privacy. Figure 77: Storage Room 2
Figure 78: Partition Walls
Figure 79: Nurse’s Bedroom
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•
‐ Interior Facilities and Furnishing: Classrooms: o Furnishing of classrooms have different configurations and arrangements, in
•
•
Figure 80: Classroom 1
Fig. showing different seating arrangements
addition to places having carpets and cushions and rounded tables for children to sit and play on the ground depending on every age and its needs. o Furniture sizes depend on age of children (depending on grade) Figure 81: Classroom 2 o Materials and textures of surfaces are appropriate for the age of children with soft surfaces (plastics, cloth...) and Fig. showing soft chrome‐plastic chairs that are easy to materials and sharp maneuver by children. edges covered for the safety of children. Specialized rooms: o Art rooms have special furniture and Figure 82: Play Area arrangement according to its function. Stools and desks are made of wood. Floors are made of tiles to be durable against any liquids. Shelves are thicker and higher than those in classrooms and in addition, two storage rooms can be accessed from the class and may be closed with lockable doors. o Music rooms have chairs only and music stands. Wood Library: is a quiet environment for students to work. Tiles Computer tables are made of wood to reduce any changes of electrical currents traveling through to Figure 83: Art Room students or other computers. It is divided into sections, depending on age. The elementary students have their own floor, away from high school students, and their own part, away from middle school students. The library has a rocking chair and more carpets on the floor for comfort to sit on and read or listen to books. All cabinets and bookshelves are made of wood along with the librarian’s desk.
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•
•
• •
Dimensions of computer tables/ chairs suit the age of children.
Figure 84: A.I.S. Student at Desk
Figure 85: Dimensions Diagram
Administration: o Furniture sizes and heights are suitable for adults like employees, and visitors. o There are no special counters that suit the height of children in addition to the standard adult sizes. Figure 86: Administration Corridors: are wide and have cubicles on the sides between classes. Toilets: Sinks have heights suiting the age of children. Nurse’s office: is made of ceramic tiled floors for durability and sanitation. Surfaces are made of smooth finishing and can be easily cleaned. Shelves Figure 87: Elementary Bathroom and cabinets are closed with a glass door. There is a bathroom inside the nurse’s office and it is located close to the regular bathrooms that students use. One room may be accessed from the nurse’s office that has two beds and a wooden divider between both for privacy. Across the hall is another room with two beds and a divider and each bed can be accessed from a different door in order to eliminate the need to move the divider. Figure 88: Nurse’s Office
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Project 1: Analysis of Existing Elementary Schools
•
The auditorium has carpeted floors, to ensure the lack of sound from traveling. Chairs are cushioned and fold in order to ease cleaning under them. The stage is made of wooden floors and extends from one side to the audience. The sound system and lighting system are located in a room at the top back of the auditorium for any operations and do not interrupt the audience. • Technology: o In A.I.S.’s elementary school there are no special computer labs for children except in the library o There is in each classroom one computer for teacher and students. The computer is set on a special table with the dimensions that fit the age of students using it. o There are other technological devices installed in classes like projectors and board screens. Size of tables and
chairs are suitable for the age of students. Up: Grade3 student, Down: KG/grade1‐ computers.
Figure 89: PC’s in Classrooms Figure 90: Projector in Classrooms
•
Security: o Entrance: There are 2 doors at the southern (pedestrian) entrance of the school, one for elementary school students and one for middle and high school students. o Passive measures: Visitors enter from the elementary school door, which is right beside the security personnel room that is Figure 91: Surveillance Camera at Main Entrance facing the administration building and get a name tag and permission before entering. This gives the security personnel control and visual coverage of everyone coming from this gate.
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Inside the building there is no specific location for security guards, but about 3 of them circulate in the corridor using wireless radiophones for communication. o Surveillance devices: There is a video camera on top of the administration part facing the gate for more surveillance. • Codes: In AIS there are many interior facilities that are specially designed for disabled: o Equal Access for all people and disabled persons (students and faculty): Door sizes (classrooms) Elevators Figure 92: Ramp to Auditorium & Field Ramps to allow flexible circulation Wide corridors Flexible furniture configuration inside classrooms Toilets specially designed for disabled to allow wheelchairs o Fire‐safety: The furniture is non‐flammable and would not lead to a greater fire if there were one to begin with. Figure 93: Girl’s Toilet There are fire‐extinguishers everywhere Inside Toilets: Cabinets for disabled are inside the building at regular intervals wider and open from the opposite direction. (every 3‐5 meters inside the halls of the school, on every floor) ‐ Acoustics: After this overall acoustic control, each room, or each function is treated differently for acoustics. • Classrooms: The classrooms are carpeted; using carpets on the floor of the classrooms is one of the simplest and cheapest ways available for acoustic control
Figure 94: Close‐up of Carpet Floors Figure 95: Classroom Interior
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•
Acoustic tiles are used in some parts of the ceiling which is another source of acoustic control:
Figure 96: Close‐up of Ceiling
Figure 97: Interior of Classroom
•
Classrooms are not directly adjacent to noisy areas like the cafeteria, the playing area, the auditorium and so on, which minimize outdoor noises. Figure 98: Space Allocation Diagram
•
Ventilation ducts and HVAC systems are placed on higher parts of the wall, that way, indoor noise is minimized, and the RC is lowered.
Some parts of the ceiling are not covered in tiles, which could increase the NC.
Figure 99: Close‐up of AC Location
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•
Since parallel walls create direct sound waves that could disturb the intelligibility of sounds, the furnishing of the walls are a good way to avoid such unwanted waves.
Figure 100: Classroom
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Figure 101: Classroom with another angle Music Rooms: o In the music room, egg cartons are placed on a part of the ceiling as a creative and affordable way to absorb the music sounds from traveling elsewhere outside the music room. Figure 102: Music Room o The special design of the ceiling is specific to music rooms, to facilitate acoustic control.
Figure 103: Music Room
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o The music room is not located directly next to the classrooms; it is located next to other noisy areas like the playing fields and the auditorium. A passageway for bus allows the separation between the music rooms and the classrooms. This helps in keeping the classrooms away from exterior unwanted noises.
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Figure 104: Space Allocation Diagram Auditorium: o Using a number of curtains distributed on different levels allows a good variation in reverberation times.
Figure 105: Auditorium
o To minimize or even restrict exterior noises from coming inside the room, the auditorium is left without windows; the ventilation is achieved through the ducts that are distributed around the ceiling large sized‐room.
Figure 106: Auditorium Back Side
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o As for the noise of the mechanical systems, like the HVAC systems for example, it is controlled by placing such devices on the upper parts of the walls
Figure 107: Auditorium Back Side
Figure 108: Ventilation Close‐up
o As another attempt to reduce the noise the entire ceiling of the auditorium is covered with acoustical tile to treat other internal noises like the voice of the audience for example. o The use of acoustic materials is used Figure 109: Lighting Close‐up on all the walls of the room whether close to the stage or not. This is considered an inconvenience, the absorptive materials should only be applied to the back walls that are facing the stage. o The ceiling is covered with acoustical tiles as we have seen above, this is good for absorbing the noise of the audience and that of the ceiling ventilation, however, smooth and hard surfaces are better to reflect sound properly. o Upholstered chairs are another good tool to absorb unwanted noises.
Figure 110: Auditorium Chairs
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o The auditorium room has a rectangular shape, this an advantage because circular and curved rooms are not appropriate for the function of an auditorium as they do not dispense sound evenly throughout the room, which is a neede characteristics for the walls of an auditorium. o Another aspect that shows how the sounds of the stage are treated differetnly from those of the audience area is the treatment of the floor. As we can see, the audience area is carpeted, as opposed to the stage area which has a hard floor. This is an advantage because the carpet helps to absorb the unwanted noises of the audience, while the hard floor disperses the sounds of the performers or lecturers from the stage to the audience.
Figure 111: Auditorium Floors
Figure 112: Auditorium Stage Floors
o The sound systems are considered in the design of the room
Figure 113: Auditorium Speakers
o Once again, as we have seen above, the auditorium is located away from the classrooms, it is next to the other noisy areas we have previously discussed.
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Gymnasium/ Gymnatorium: o For sports related reasons the floor of the gymnasium’s floor is usually hard. Since hard floor do not absorb sounds, it would be very hard to use the gymnaisum for other reason like exams for example. Therefore, when the room is used for more quiet activities, the floor is covered with carpets as a cheap and manageable way to treat acoustics temporarily.
Figure 114: Gymnasium Floors
o As the floor has to be hard for sports, the ceiling is the only areas that could be treated, therefore, all the mechanical systems and ducts are placed on the ceiling
Figure 115: Gymnasium Ceiling
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Dining Area: o There are two ways to succesfully separate noisy areas from quiet ones. They ca be separated as we have seen above in two different location on the site. There is also the other solution of separating them on different floors of the building, the noisy areas being under the quiet ones. Althought the first option was used for the majority of the noisy areas of the building, the cafeteria is the exception of using the latter option. In AIS, the cafeteria is located underneath the admnistration area, which succesfully separates the two areas.
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Figure 116: Space Allocation Diagram o Having the entire dining area treated with acoustical tiles is a disadvatage. Such treatment should only be reserved for the eating area, the serving area should not have them, there purpose is to separate eating and serving area, which is not the case if the entire ceiling has them. 4. Building Services:
Figure 117: Cafeteria
a. Structural Systems: •
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Building life: The walls of the school are concrete, steel, and bearing wall; by which they want the minimal maintenance over the following years and indefinite life spans. Fire Safety: To achieve fire safety, they used fireproof concrete and glue‐laminated beams. These materials are preventable to burn.
Figure 118: A.I.S. Building
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•
Long Span space: In swimming pool, they materials such as glue‐illuminated such place are one‐ structures which must be no columns.
gym and at the used long span steel, trusses, and beams because story (open‐space) mean that there Figure 119: Gymnasium
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Special issues: The high humidity and the chemicals used in swimming pool water rust many structural systems, so they used ceramic plates that are avoidable to rust.
Figure 120: Indoors Pool
b. Mechanical Systems: Space School mechanical systems encompass the generation and application of heat and mechanical power and the design, Figure 121: Water Tank production, and use of machines and tools. At the AIS, there are general points that are considered when considering the exterior mechanical systems of the school building: ‐ Simplicity in the Design of Mechanical Systems: Mechanical components, such as boilers, chillers, pumps, and air handling equipment are easily accessed, with space around the equipment adequate for service and maintenance. ‐ Life‐Cycle Analysis: Schools should be aware that energy savings and lower maintenance costs often justify the higher first costs of more efficient systems ‐ Ability to accommodate growth and change: Mechanical systems should be designed to accommodate change easily
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c. Electrical Systems: ‐ Classrooms (Elementary Schools): • Electrical Lighting fixtures used are fluorescent lamps in the ceiling o Switches are located next to the door but are nor multi‐level or dimming switches. • Daylight is transmitted in the room through large glass windows with shading devices. o Walls and Ceilings are white which makes the rooms look brighter • No special indirect lighting for the computer in each room ‐ Corridors (Elementary Schools): Fluorescent electrical fixtures at the ceiling No side or focused lighting for boards or displays As preferred there are light‐blue colored corridors affecting brightness and positive inspiration in the elementary school ‐ Music Room: similar to classroom facing east ‐ Auditorium: • No windows transmitting daylight for special lighting requirements • There are flexible and dimmable lighting fixtures at the ceiling and on the sidewalls using incandescent lamps as recommended. • Special focus spotlight on the sides and at the back to illuminate the stage during performances. • No lights used on steps ‐ Library: • • •
Figure 122: Hallway
Figure 123: Auditorium
located in the first and second floor uses fluorescent lamp (lay‐in) as a general lighting system No indirect lighting for computers ‐ Gymnasium/ Gymnatorium: • • •
• •
Only 2 small windows facing north that allow daylight, instead the lighting system is electrical. Incandescent lamps distributed on the sides of the rooms (walls) not at the ceiling where mechanical and structural systems take place.
Figure 124: Gymnasium
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‐ Pool: Covered with a semi closed ceiling allowing skylights (natural daylight) • The southern part has a concrete slab with fluorescent lamps ‐ Cafeteria: •
Is located in the underground level and has glass windows at the whole southern side (no need for shading devices due to its low level) • Uses fluorescent lamp (lay‐in) as a general lighting system (No other lighting systems because it’s not used as a work/meeting room) ‐ Outdoors:
Figure 125: Pool
•
• •
Figure 126: Cafeteria
Outdoor Incandescent lamps are located along the fence of the school Strong spotlights on the roofs of the building to illuminate the courtyard and the Sports arena at night.
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INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDY 1. Introduction: a. Long Beach International Elementary School – Thomas Blurock Architects: Working early in his career with redevelopment agencies in Boston and Southern California and on high schools for impoverished villages in Southern Italy, Thomas Blurock realized that designing inner‐city schools would combine his dual interests in urban planning and education architecture. This 34‐classroom school sits on a former parking lot in downtown Long Beach. International Elementary School, located in Long Beach, California, serves grades K‐5 in the Long Beach Unified School District. The constraints of the small site and the educational program challenged traditional notions about elementary schools. The architects’ solution maximizes play area, addresses security concerns, and responds to surrounding urban and residential neighborhoods. 2. Description of Project: a. Site Planning: Long Beach International Elementary School has realized the design of inner‐city schools which combines the dualism between urban planning and the architecture of educational buildings. ‐ Space Allocation •
The site of the school consists of facilities that complement the essential elements which are classrooms: Figure 127: Main Entrance
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Figure 128: Space Allocation Diagram
Figure 129: Space Allocation Diagram
‐ Site Circulation: •
The vehicular circulation should always be separated from the pedestrian one, mainly for safety reasons. This is very much the case at Long Beach International Elementary School. It is the case for the simple reason that the school is two story building; therefore, since vehicles are only allowed outside the building, the interior of the building becomes a pedestrian only area completely separated from the outside where vehicles circulate.
Figure 130: Floor Plan (Google Images)
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•
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The notion of safety is triggered again in circulation at the drop off area. At the school, safety is ensured by closing the street of the entrance during school hours to ensure the safety of the children coming and going into the school. The faculty parking lot is appropriate to the size of the building, there is also another parking for parents.
Figure 131: Parking (Google Images)
‐ Playing Fields: •
By elevating the playing fields on a deck above the classrooms, Long Beach International Elementary school doubled the usable space. Figure 132: Playground (Google Images)
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•
• • •
There is a 24 foot‐high corrugated metal screen is placed all around the fields serving a double benefit. It firstly protects the students on the field from the surroundings, and by showing their silhouettes through the screen which produce a neighborhood feeling. Figure 133: Side View (Google Images)
Despite space restrictions, the school did not take the opportunity of juxtaposing different sports fields in one space, instead it settled to three basketball fields, limiting the variety of sports available on site.
Figure 134: Site Plan (Google Earth)
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Figure 135: Site Plan (www.greatschools.org)
Sun orientation plays an important role in designing sports fields; they should be oriented north‐south. This is not the case at Long Beach International Elementary School; on the contrary, the fields are oriented east‐west.
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‐ Site‐design Concept: •
•
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Long Beach International Elementary School is a K‐5 elementary school; it houses classes from kindergarten to 5th grade. There is no clear separation between educational spaces and other facilities. It is organized by placing classes from kindergarten till 2nd grade on the ground floor along with all the indoor facilities (like the library, the eating area, the clinic and so on). On another hand, classes from 3rd to 5th grade are placed on the second floor along with the outdoor facilities like the court, the playground and sports fields. Such a school is beneficial for an elementary school for security reasons. Given that all classrooms and facilities are placed within the same building, they are therefore more easily contained and secured. The school has six entrances. Even though this is beneficial for the ease in circulation at peak times, it can pose a problem for assuring the security of the building.
Figure 136: Site Plan (Google Earth)
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b. Circulation: ‐ Entry Sequence/ Accessibility: There are 6 entrances, one main entrance, 2 side entrances for students, 1 faculty parking entrance and 2 services entrances. Students should arrive at Long Beach at 8:25 a.m. Students may not be on school property prior to 8:25 a.m. due to lack of adult supervision. Students transported by car are to be dropped off at the back on the south side of the building. Students are to be dropped off on the curb near the entrance. Buses will unload students in the front of the Figure 137: Site Plan (www.greatschools.org) building. Students may not be dropped off or picked up by car in the bus area located in front of the school building. Students whose parents provide transportation will exit the side entrances and go to the parent pickup along the curb. All students must remain on the sidewalk until the vehicle has come to a stop alongside the curb before boarding. This in return poses some danger to the safety of the students as they will be located along a main heavy traffic road. Staff members and safety patrols will help monitor the loading process. Parents who choose to park in the front parking lot to pickup or drop off their student must walk their students to the side entrances. Students who ride buses will exit through the front doors located on the west elevation. ‐ Internal Circulation: As the school day begins at 8:25 a.m. where all students should have arrived already at school, the students will be directed to the playground or gymnasium depending on the weather. At 8:35 a.m., the bell signaling the beginning of the school day will ring. Any student arriving after 8:35 a.m. is to use the main entrance door. If the student is dropped off at 8:40 a.m. or later they need to report to the office for a tardy pass before going to the classroom. At Long Beach Elementary School, students only have lunch time due to limited space in the lunchroom during lunchtime. If a parent would like to have lunch with their student, it will be necessary for parent to sign in at the main office located on the ground floor. It is necessary for the parent to sign their student out in the office when taking them off of school property
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during their designated lunch time. Students are then to be picked up and dropped off promptly at their lunch time. Students at Long Beach Elementary School also have a so‐called “outside recess” since students do need fresh air and exercise. Recess will be held inside only on extreme bad weather days. Elementary school students in particular travel as a class when they have P.E. or Music. At the end of the day students are directed under the supervision of teachers and other supervisors to the main doors to be picked up by their parents or to the main entrance at the main elevation of the school to be picked up by the school bus. Figure 138: Floor Plan (www.greatschools.org)
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‐ Site Size: On an area of 79,605 sq. ft. Long Beach Elementary School has about 717 students enrolled from Kindergarten to the 5th grade.
Figure 139: Graph of students vs. grade (www.greatschools.org)
‐ Design Configuration: Thomas Blurock, the Architect of Long Beach Elementary School designed this inner‐city school according to the dualism between urban planning and education architecture. There are actually two major strategies: ‐ Creative use of small land parcels to maximize usable space ‐ “Hermit‐Crab” Concept: using structures abandoned by other entities CLASSES O F F I C E S
Centralized Resources Court‐ yard
Figure 140: General View (Google Images) The configuration of Long Beach International Elementary School is based on the design of “centralized resources with single‐loaded classroom wings”. This configuration allows for visual differentiation of corridors and increased opportunity for sub‐grouping of classroom areas.
CLASSES
Figure 141: Floor Plan (www.greatschools.org)
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3. Design (Properties/ Issues): a. Sun and Natural Lighting: Ground floor: • • •
Classrooms (a) placed north to benefit from sunlight and have a minimized glare effect. Classrooms (a) on the west side and Kindergarten classrooms (n) facing south should have shading devices to reduce glare effect. Facilities like courtyard (k), computer labs (c), library (b) and kitchen (f) are placed in the middle and surrounded by walls of classrooms in order to minimize heat gain.
N
Figure 142.1: Floor Plan (www.greatschools.org)
Playfield Level Plan: • • •
The playgrounds (a) for children are facing north, which is an appropriate location to protect them from direct sun‐heat. Classrooms facing south (d) on the left side should have shading devices to reduce the heat and glare effect at certain times of the day. There are 2 classrooms that are tilted to the west so that could have a minimized glare effect. In general as this floor is at the roof level open spaces are located in the north and closed spaces that could have protective shading devices are placed facing South and West.
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N
Figure 142.2: Floor Plan (www.greatschools.org)
b. Acoustic Control: Long Beach International Elementary School is built in downtown Long Beach California. This location has an important impact on the acoustics of the building. Being built in the middle of a city, it could be surrounded by noisy buildings that add to the exterior noises of the building. This is the case for the school; it is located next to a factory which normally generates loud noise that is transmittable to the school.
Figure 143: Site Plan (Google Earth)
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• • • • • • •
•
To minimize exterior noise affecting the playing fields, a metal screen surrounds the fields serving as a sound buffer.
Figure 144: General View (Google Images)
An essential rule in acoustic control is separating noisy areas from quiet ones. This rule is respected by the school, within the constraints of the space, On the ground floor, most of the noisy areas are placed in the center of the building, while the quiet areas are encircling them, this is an advantage as it keeps the noisy areas somewhat together, thus reducing the noise transmitted to the quiet zone. As for the second floor, the small number of classes is separated from the area of the fields as the classes are placed on a slightly higher level. While this is beneficial on both floors, it is also has disadvantages because it means that the quiet areas are those exposed to the noise of the surrounding streets and
Figure 145: Floor Plan (http://www2.lbusd.k12.ca.us/intl/)
buildings.
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•
Figure 146: Floor Plan (http://www2.lbusd.k12.ca.us/intl/) http://www2.lbusd.k12.ca.us/intl/) Given that the faculty parking is located inside the building with the courtyard and the kindergarten play area next to it, a mural was built to serve as a sound buffer between the two as part of the acoustical treatment of the building.
Figure 147: Floor Plan (http://www2.lbusd.k12.ca.us/intl/)
http://www2.lbusd.k12.ca.us/intl/)
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•
•
A mistake in the acoustic control of the building comes from its organization. Since noisy areas should be placed below quiet areas to reduce the noise in the latter ones, placing all the playgrounds and playing fields above quiet areas like the library, other classrooms and other quiet rooms increases exterior noises in those rooms. In the library of the Long Beach International Elementary School the simplest and most affordable acoustic control method is used in the library floor with the carpeting.
Figure 149: Close‐up of Carpet (Google Images)
Figure 148: Interior (Google Images)
c. Figure 150: interior of class and use of space (Google Images)
Interior Design: •
Figure 151: interior facilities of building (http://www2.lbusd.k12.ca.us/intl/)
Interior Facilities and Furnishing: o Classrooms: have different arrangements depending on the needs of each age. Furniture is mostly made out of wood and chrome to be easy to maneuver for children.
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o Specialized Rooms: are here similar to classrooms but have a different furniture configuration depending on needs. Figure 152: Art room (Google Images) o Corridors: are wide enough between classrooms and other rooms to accommodate a large number of students. o Administration room: are located next to the entrance and have different sizes of furniture suitable for adults that work there or visiting parents. o Library: has flexible and movable wooden furniture.
•
•
•
Figure 153: Interior of library (Google Images) Flexibility: o The existence of a Multi‐purpose room in the school plan shows the aspect of flexibility has been incorporated in design. Technology: There are specialized computer labs in the school that show an updated use of technology. But there is no indication of further high‐tech technological devices in terms of safety and facilities. Security measures: There is no fence surrounding the school but only in some parts like next to the main entrance and the rest is closed with metal gates. However, there are safety patrols that supervise the children while going on the bus etc.. (Handbook).
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4. Building Services: a. Structural Systems: • Building life: the façade of the school building is divided into two types of walls; by which one is an in steel and concrete bearing wall, while the other is likely a steel framed wall.
Figure 154: Outer Metal Gate (Google Images)
And from inside, the walls are masonry bearing walls. So they can achieve the minimal maintenance over the following years.
Figure 155: Outer Walls (Google Images)
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Fire Safety: in order to achieve fire safety, they used fireproof concrete and glue‐ laminated steel beams. These materials are preventable to burn.
Figure 156: Fire Escape (Google Images)
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Aesthetics: The structural system used in this school expresses modernization; they used steel structural system and more so the name of school is made of steel.
Figure 157: Main Gate (Google Images)
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•
Long Span space: they used long span material such as steel beams and steel trusses in this side of building because this side is one story space where the playground exists, so that steel beams can bear the weight. b. Mechanical Systems:
b. Electrical Systems: • For the interior of spaces and lighting, there is a varying use between increscent lamp fixtures and fluorescent lamp fixtures in classrooms/ library.
Figure 158: varying electrical lighting systems in addition to daylight from windows (Google Images)
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Checklist for building Elementary Schools Description of Project: Design properties and issues: •
Site planning: o Site design concept:
Many different designs of schools exist, to decide between them, different factors such as climate, internal circulation, organization, size of the elementary school, security educational purposes must be taken into consideration. o Space Allocation: The site of a school includes the classroom, educational rooms and also all the facilities that complement them Classroom sizes Playing Field sizes Standard measurements that should be respected. Sun orientation is an important factor that should be taken into consideration in the placement of the fields o Soil, Topography, Climate and views (Environment reviews): are essential in the designing process of the site and also affect the type of structure and materials to be used. o Site circulation: The coordination between vehicular and pedestrian areas is a key design element that ensures safety and security. Many elements, like the number of employees and students and schools must be considered in the design of the parking lot. Circulation: o Accessibility: School entrances should be determined according to the location and thus, traffic peak times and should be divided into grades, in case the elementary school is part of a K‐12 school. o Site access and Design Configuration:
•
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Amount of parking and space for buses required should be determined based on the amount of buses and expected parents dropping off their children. Driveways must be long and wide enough to accommodate such peak time traffic. Easy access of emergency vehicles at all times but especially at those peak times. Keeping the vehicle circulation areas separate or as separate as possible from the children walking areas. Bus drop off area should be designed to be a one way circulation for safety factors. o Entry Sequence: Students, teachers, staff and parents are different. Separate entrance for those who come by bus/ other means of transportation. o Internal Circulation: Place of circulation during classes/ breaks.. Evacuation plans in case of emergencies.
•
•
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Acoustic: o Exterior noise from surroundings should be minimized for concentration inside classrooms. The interior noises from either the mechanical systems or the individuals should also be contained. Lighting and Ventilation: o Lighting: Consider the orientation of the building to reduce the effect of glare during different times of the day and the use of shading techniques. (N‐S orientation) o Ventilation: Consider the orientation of the building to benefit from the prevailing wind direction (depending on Location). Structural System: o Façade of the building (statement/ aesthetics/ durability). o Fencing of building and gates (security) o Gym and Swimming Pool should be built using long span materials and techniques like steel and trusses.
Interior Issues: •
Interior facilities and Furnishing:
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o Every type of classrooms has a different design configuration and seating arrangement depending on its users and work type (children/ adults). o Sizes and heights of furniture different for adults and students o Materials used to provide comfort and safety for adults and children.
•
•
•
•
•
Flexibility: o Design of large multi‐use space to gain space o Use of partition walls to divide up spaces o Provide storage places Technology: o Computers in Classrooms/labs/library o Security communication systems o Projectors o Speakers for announcements Acoustic within the school building: (depending on room type and size) o Floors and Carpeting (meterials) o Walls and surfaces o Type of furniture to reduce echo Mechanical systems: o Efficient and eco‐friendly HVAC systems are required Lighting: (depending on room type and size) o Classrooms: 2 levels of lighting / dimming effect o Computer use: indirect lighting to reduce eyestrain and glare o Natural lighting (clerestories, windows, skylights) and shading devices (ride in side channels) o Light switches in classrooms located next to the door o Light switches’ location in corridors shouldn’t be accessible to students.
Saftey and codes: o Passive and active surveillance techniques o Fire‐resistance techniques. o Designed facilities and furniture for disabled.
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