Kirsten Stabler- Thesis Completion

plant a seed. watch it grow. reconnecting children + nature to develop healthier humans

Kirsten Stabler Fifth Year Thesis 2012-2013 Professor Sandy Stannard

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me” Matthew 18:5

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author.

Made in partial fulfillment of a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo Designed + written by Kirsten Stabler Printed in the United States

to my family for a lifetime of boundless love + support

an introduction an exploration an example a place an idea

a process a new home a thanks

a life inside research

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preface

I grip tightly to the grab bar on the regional train as the car slides to a halt at its next destination. As the train doors slide open, a wave of chattering and squeaking reaches my ears. A dozen small children sporting down jackets and wellies shuffle handin-hand onto the train. From my foreign perspective I am shocked to see such young children on public transportation with just two adult supervisors.

From my broken Danish- comprehension, I collect that the kids are off to visit the woods. ‘The woods?’ I think, ‘Its freezing outside! What do they do in the woods?

Shouldn’t the kids be in school learning the alphabet?’ More suspicious questions roll through my brain as we arrive at the next stop and the mob of children waddle off the train in route to the forest.

I later learn most preschools in Copenhagen take weekly field trips to the woods. Through nine months of living in Denmark, I learn of Scandinavians’ love, appreciation and craving for fresh air and greenery. In addition to frequent trips to the woods, Danish child rearing practices include placing bundled babies in prams outside for naps in the fresh air and emphasize a ‘learn by doing’ mentality.

Danes, like most Europeans, believe childhood is a time to play. As I spend time with kids on this side of the Atlantic, I realize how often parents push their children to grow up too quickly. It seems like American parents expect their children to know the alphabet by age two, master reading by age four and off to college by age five. Apart from the pressure to

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succeed, children have become more and more addicted to technology, resulting in increased time indoors and disconnection from nature. The disconnect has visibly resulted in a indolent and overweight population.

In reaction to my intrigue of Danish pedagogy and disgust for American children’s’ laziness, I set out to design a place for children to be children and the outdoors to be a place of wonder.

My thesis began with a number of observation visits to local children’s centers in San Luis Obispo. While visiting the Child Development Resource Center I was inspired by the center’s unique focus to help children with special needs, financial difficulties and few opportunities.

Although the school is impacting many

lives, their current center is less than ideal. Apart from the crumbling walls and chipped paint, the overall design of the center is inappropriate for children.

There is little access to the outdoors, with no views and the outdoor spaces that do exist are buried beneath sterile asphalt that does little to stimulate the mind and creativity of young children.

From this visit I decided to partner with the CDRC to design them an improved center catered to their unique needs and celebrating their admirable operation.

The center will focus on encouraging children out of the classroom and into the outdoors, with hope that the natural environment can become the children’s newest teacher.

a life inside F ingers that once dug dirt now click away on a keyboard.

F eet that once climbed trees now lay idle in front of a television .

Minds that once explored the outdoors are now trapped in a classroom.

Exploration and understanding of the natural world is a vital part of being a member of this planet. Yet as the human race progresses, electronics and air conditioning has resulted in an increased complacency and disconnect with the natural environment.

The average American child spends only 4-7 minutes per day outside in unstructured play,1 yet 7+ hours per day indoors with electronic media.2 This lost connection is especially detrimental to the growth, happiness and health of a child. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods writes “As the young spend less

and less of their lives in natural surroundings, their senses narrow, physiologically and psychologically,

and this reduces the richness of human experience.�3 The effects of indoor lifestyles are alarming. One in three children are overweight thanks to sedentary lifestyles.4 One in eight children take the ADHD drug Ritalin because of restlessness and difficulty concentrating indoors.5 One in 5 American children have an emotional or behavioral condition, shown to intensify when exposure to the outdoors is limited.6 To remedy these findings, a children’s center focused on a blending of the built and the natural environment is proposed.

If children are educated and encouraged to enjoy nature at a young age, there is hope they will continue spend time outdoors and grow into healthy adults.

Like a seed, a child must be planted and nurtured in a healthy environment full of sunlight, water and room to grow.

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importance of early childhood education ”It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

-Frederick Douglass The words of historical American-social reformer, Frederick Douglass, speak truth more so today than when he uttered them in the early 19th century.

There is a growing advocacy for the importance and accessibility of early childhood education for all. Only a few decades ago, young children were left at home to play until they reached the ‘appropriate age’ for entry into elementary education.

Early advocates of childhood education sparked in the 18th century with Friedrich Frobel (1782-1852) and when he developed the Kindergarten Program in Germany. The Industrial Revolution later propelled the kindergarten movement, as more women joined of the labor force. Later, Italian Maria Montessori (1870-1952) continued to develop the

importance of early education through her child-centered learning approach.7 But it was not until after WWII that early childhood education was seen as an important educational step. In the 1960s the US government funded the Head Start Program, which cemented early childhood education’s importance in the United States by giving low-income children the opportunity for a quality early education. Today about 80% of children under the age of six spend part or full time in non-parental child care settings.8 The importance of early education has been recognized by all: parents, educators, and even legislation.

An individual experiences the most rapid period of intellectual growth before age five.9 Brain research has proven that “parental care,

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14 warm and loving attachments, and positive age-appropriate stimulation from birth onward makes a tremendous difference in children’s cognitive development for a lifetime.”10 Early childhood education programs offer such qualifications and experiences for young children. According to The Encyclopedia of Children’s Health, early childhood education is defined as “activities and/or experiences that are intended to affect developmental changes in children prior to their entry into elementary school.”11 Early childhood education programs like preschool, provide children the opportunity for play, interaction with others, exploration, creativity and language development.

Preschools are as their name describes pre-school and should prepare children for elementary education. A quality early

life experience is important for brain development and a strong foundation for life and learning.

The popularity for quality preschool is not just an issue of mental development.

Preschool’s expansion can be attributed to many parents’ push for early childhood education. Parents increasingly recognize the importance of social interactions and

diversity of play offered in preschool. Only a few decades ago, sending a child to care outside the home was viewed negatively as parental neglect. Today the view has flipped. There is widespread belief that it is irresponsible to not send a child to an early education program. Likewise, the growing workforce of mothers and singleparent households creates a high demand for more early education programs for childcare.

Quality early childhood education is a concern for the health of society. Policy

makers encourage preschool programs because of their proven prevention of future social issues, which saves tax money in the future. Results from the Perry Preschool Study of the 1960s found that a quality preschool education promoted a strong lifetime success over to those that did not attend an early education program.

The Study examined the lives 123 impoverish Africa American children

15 by randomly dividing the subjects into groups, those at received a high quality preschool education and those that did not. The study found that by age 40, those that attended preschool were more likely to hold a job, have graduated from high school and committed fewer crimes than those that did not attend preschool.12 The study’s findings show that investment at an early age improves the likelihood of raising an honorable citizen. As Douglass states above, it is easier to give a child a healthy childhood than “fix a broken man.”

Additionally, preschool gives opportunities for early intervention programs that can reduce behavior and social problems.13 Commitment to early education has proven to reduce a child’s likelihood to be at risk for substance abuse, school drop-out and development of social and behavioral problems.14 Lastly, preschools can be utilized as a central agency to deliver equal health, social, economic, and academic services to children.

There is no doubt of importance of early childhood education. The challenges

America now faces is the development quality educators and education centers.

The quality of the built environment which children grow in has a large influence on children’s overall mental, emotional and spiritual health. These issues and remedies will be further explored in the next section.

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a place for children While they might be the most nonjudgmental members of society,children are in greatest need of a well designed space.

Proven studies show that the greatest development– physically, emotionally and spiritually, take place in the first five years of life.16 The environment in which a young child grows has immense impact on their development. The aesthetic quality of a space where a child grows up effects their appreciation for a place and self esteem.187 Places for children must provide a variety of stimulating opportunities for maximum learning potential. Not only is a lacking design a bore, but it can degrade the health and development of a child.17 It is pertinent to understand qualities of environments where children thrive when designing a nurturing home away from home for young children. Anita Olds, child psychologist and author of Child Care Design Guide, nobly describes architecture as “a process used by humanity to bring heaven to earth, spirit into mater. Conscientious architects can contribute to healing the earth; it is part of their charter.”18 Places for children must be designed with children in mind, not adults. Even though children’s spaces are designed by adults, architects should view

spaces through the lens of a child. The way in which adults and children use spaces greatly affects this difference in perspective.

Montessori educator, Paula Lillard suggests

“children use the environment to improve themselves; adults use themselves to improve the environment. Children work for the sake of process; adults work to achieve an end result.”19 Adults view the built environment as places for use, yet children understand through what a place ‘says’ from their experience. The process that children understand is how their environment can entertain them, such as making music by dragging a stick along railings or stomping up stairs. Children understand space through its essence, not its use.

Unlike adults who learn through commands, children learn solely through experience until age six.20 Architect Christopher Day writes “they [children] need to experience things with

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18 their whole bodies and through all their senses.”21 Children’s experiences must be rich and stimulating to encourage learning and development. Anita Olds expresses that children “live continuously in the here and now, feasting upon nuances of color, light, sound, odor, touch, texture, volume, movement, form and rhythm around them.”222 Although adults may strive for tidiness and order within spaces, this sterile environment actually harms a child’s growth.23 Children thrive in relatively disordered environments where materials are available for creative imaginations.

The most important part of the learning experience is the action of play. Children are not ‘taught’

information but learn through exploratory play. Children learn best through the exploration of Creation. Natural elements such as earth, water, growing plants offer many educational opportunities because children are able to creatively explore and manipulate these materials.

An example of this exploration is the ‘ritual’ of den making.24 Young children experience an innate desire to nest by

using natural materials like dead branches and straw bales.

DESIGN To invoke feelings of security and confidence, a preschool form and layout must be easily decipherable.

Through visible roof lines, windows, textural materials, façade design, relationships and hierarchy children can understand and feel reassured.

To increase sociability, the architecture must encourage children to cross paths. Reggio Emilia design prescribes a piazza in the middle of a school to maximize the opportunity for meeting.25 By focusing all rooms around a central area all rooms are given equal importance.

Form has an immense impact on the mood of children. Right angles, sharp corners and edges make spaces feel aggressive. Obtuse-angles, curves and domes invoke a soft, dreamy quality important for children.26 Children thrive in smaller, scalable spaces. Nooks, dens and alcoves create new play spaces that make children feel special. 27

19 ENTRY As mentioned above, children experience the world through the journey, not the destination. The travel to school must make children feel safe and prepare them for the detachment of their parents. Children suffer the least anxiety when they bike or walk to school because they understand the way home, giving them comfort in their unknown settings. Children driven to school are disconnected from the path to school, causing them to not know their location and relation to home, which can cause stress and anxiety. A center that encourages cycling and walking improves children’s emotional state as well as reducing pollution from transportation.

The entry of a preschool should compel children to enter and give them a desire to attend school. By winding paths, vegetation and slopes, the journey to school can be enjoyable and exciting. Approaches alongside walls are more inviting than a straight, frontal entry. 35 Once a child enters the threshold of a center, they should meet a door full of momentality, separating home from school and inviting them in. This

threshold shows the balance between the outside world for freedom and the inside world of school. Solid doors feel strong and safe, while glass doors feel vulnerable and exposed.29

LIGHT Natural daylight is essential to human health, especially growing children. Lack of light fosters a weak immune system, reoccurring restlessness and depression.28 It is prescribed that children get a minimum of 60 minutes outside a day for exercise and Vitamin D from daylight. 31 Although natural light is important for health, young children prefer more dim environments that provide security and shelter indoors. Shaded environments allow children to develop a world of fantasy and magic, important for development.32 Classrooms should be well-lit to foster active environments but also have calmer areas with less intense light.

Windows provide light and a sense of the world beyond. Windows should react to a child’s proportions and should be at a child’s eye level. Glazing that stretches large expanses make children feel insecure and should be avoided.

The subdivision through mullions can

20 decrease the intimidation of large windows and provide more ventilation opportunities.

Artificial light should be avoided as much as possible. Electric light eliminates the connection to the natural world and its cycles, thus decreasing the opportunity for children to learn about solar cycles. Fluorescent lighting has negative health effects on children and can lead to hyperactivity, trigger epileptic seizures, moodiness, attention-deficient and 33 fatigue. If artificial light is used, point light sources are best to create many difference places through light.

COLOR Color exists when light and substance meet. In relation to children and their environment, color can be used to project different moods within a space.

Researcher Michael Wilson found that color therapy can help children with special needs. By changing colors from red to blue dependent on children’s movements in a pool, Wilson found that reds inspire autistic children to become more expressive and bold. On the

other hand, the hyperactivity of energetic children was calmed by the color blue.34 Environments should strive to be calm and not to over stimulate. The best colors are those that are soft and comfortable to spend hours within. Ultimately children need an adaptable environment to invite creative play. According to Day, children need places to “suit, balance or heal state and activity, they need a palette of mood-places: darker and lighter, warmer and cooler, active and dreamy” 35 Lights and color choices should relate to activities – bright and warm for active play and darker and blue for restful times. Beams, plants, furniture and curtains offer changes in color moods.

Younger children gravitate to warmer colors, like reds, oranges and yellows, that inspire activity and emotion. While older students are drawn towards more calming cool colors, such as greens and blues.36

THE OUTDOORS The electronically savvy children of today spend ten times more time watching television a day than playing outside.37

21 Nature awakes the soul, connects children to the earth and offers a multitude of stimulating learning opportunities. “Trees, gardens, animals, water and views provide many physically and emotionally healing benefits, in addition to enhancing a child’s knowledge of the natural world. Indeed, if we are going to save this planet, exposing children to the wonders of nature at a very young age is essential� explains Anita Olds.38 Children must learn the importance of the outdoors to grow into natureloving adults who become stewards of nature for a lifetime.

Children should be able to witness the cycles in nature, such as the days, the seasons, water and nutrients. Additionally the built environment should work to teach children about environmental stewardship and responsiveness. These activities include learning to separate materials for recycling and composting, changing shading structures based on sunlight and opening windows for ventilation. Likewise, large thermometers to read temperature allow children to understand the temperature scale and environmental response strategies within

their school. Additionally, children can learn about crop cultivation and healthy eating by growing their own food.

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quality care Every child deserves the opportunity for an excellent early education. The quality of such programs strongly relate to the success of a child’s development. Innumerable factors contribute to the quality of a center. Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education outlines many of the most important indicators of a quality early education which include:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Excellent Facilities which are clean, light, airy and stimulating Highly quality staff with a high degree of training Variety of Materials and Activities for play and stimulation Health and Safety of the facility Balance of Activities for a variation of learning opportunities Written Curriculum designed to for children’s development Daily Plans that indicates positive direction within the program Low Adult:Child Ratio to insure each child receives attention Positive Staff Interaction creating a welcoming environment Guiding Behavior that disciplines children effectively Gender and Cultural Needs are recognized and respected Outdoor Activities are offered and encouraged Mealtime is a happy and learning time Cost and Affordability is respected High Parent Satisfaction is secured Emergency Care is in place Ill Child Care is available and effectively treated

exploration of practices There are a variety of preschool programs, pedagogies and organizations available for early childhood education. Proprietary childcare centers are for-profit programs focused on the academic-development of children and are common for middle-class families that can pay for outlined serves. Childcare centers are centers hosted by interest groups in special design facilities, like churches, YMCAs and similar facilities. Employer-sponsored care is the fastest growing type of care. Many employers now offer affordable, accessible and quality childcare care at workplaces to meet the needs of working parents.

Over the past two centuries, innumerable early education pedagogues and theories have developed across the world; some with success, some with indifference and some with negative results. In the design of a quality education center, several of these unique approaches will be explored.

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reggio emilia The Reggio Emilia Approach was developed in Northern Italy by Loris Malaguzzi (19201994). The Approach has taken root across the world and has been adapted in a number of US programs. The Approach is founded on a systems approach found in the work of Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky and many others. The system is a collaboration among children, teachers and parents to develop social learning.

pieces of reggio emilia time is independent of the clock and dependent on the personal development of children and personal rhythm. Strong relationships between teachers and children exist because children stay with the same teachers for three-year cycles. The system-approach links students, teachers, parents and families as integral pieces. teachers are to encourage dialogue, collaboration and discovery by sparking questions with children. Arts are emphasized through an atelierista, a teacher trained in visual arts. projects provide the backbone for learning experiences.

the built environment • • • • • • • •

layout welcomes whoever enters encourages community, relationships and exploration fosters children’s choices by variety of objects and activities atelier: special workshop or studio designated for art attention to detail by color choice, furniture shape, object arrangements natural day lighting healthy, green plants hang everywhere highly personalized environment, full of children’s own work

high / scope High/Scope Educational Approach is based on Jean Piaget’s constructivist learning theory for cognitive development. An individual’s organizing, structuring, and restructuring experience is defined as the constructivist process. The Approach reformed early education thanks to a child-focused “active participatory learning” model. By giving children a broad range of opportunities inside the classroom, children develop a variety of skills including problem solving, interpersonal and communication skills.

5 elements to the approach active learning. Teachers encourage learn-by-doing by providing a variety of materials, interacting with children, carefully observing individual children and leading groups, large and small. classroom arrangement. The classroom must include 5 or more defined interest areas which encourage choice. To promote self-direction and independence, children understand where to find materials and what materials they can use. daily schedule. the schedule promotes regularity with key experiences, work time, clean-up time and reflection time. assessment. Teachers observe and collect data on children’s progress.

These findings are used to understand children’s way of thinking and learning. curriculum. Children’s interests and key experiences drive the learning approach.

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scandinavian pedagogy Although each Scandinavian country boasts their own unique pedagogy related to early childhood education, all practices are similar. Early childhood education is a foundation of the Scandinavian societal model. With a great emphasis on equity and women in the workforce, there is much importance placed on a high quality childcare and education. In Denmark, 98% of children attend early education program, likely because 96% of mothers work.41 Early education works for the children and parents. Parallel to Scandinavian’s socialist and equitable views of society, there is a growing belief that early educational should be institutionalized for all children to have equal opportunity and education from the start.

practices • self-intiated play • development of whole individual • emphasis on relationships and social skills between pedagogues and students

• highly qualified staff, all with higher education degrees • teachers practice ‘hands-off ’ policy • considerable amount of time outdoors, as Swedes profess

“There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.”42 centers are considered a child’s “second home” so very homey with couches and dining tables • manners and proper behavior taught and expected • less emphasis on benchmarks, testing and curriculum

montessori theory Maria Montessori was the first female to earn a medical degree in Italy at the turn of the 20th century. Having profound interest educational solutions for deafness, paralysis and mental retardation, Montessori organized schools for young children who occupied tenement houses. Through the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House she developed her teaching methods. The Montessori Method is developed on minimal instruction with characteristics of calmness, orderliness, self-directed learning and children as the directors of the learning environment.

practical life approach Montessori believed that early education should educate children in skills needed for every day activities. This approach is outlined in four exercises: • care of the person includes self-dressing, polish shoes and washing hands • care of the environment includes dusting, polishing a table and raking leaves.

• social relations are lessons of grace and courtesy • analysis and control of movement includes locomotive activities like walking and balancing

sensory materials The use of stimulating materials is core to the Montessori Theory to helping children learn. Types of materials include the following characteristics: • control of error children may learn through observation of failure and success • isolation of a single quality variable materials are used to learn isolated qualities or quantities • active involvement includes "hands on materials” • attractiveness materials are appealing with colors and proportions

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existing child development resource center The Child Development Resource Center currently provides preschool and therapy opportunities to children and families in San Luis Obispo County. Since the center’s opening in 1971, the CDRC has been enriching the lives of children and families from low-income, at-risk and specialneed backgrounds. Children are referred to the center by Child Welfare Services, Department of Mental Health, Homeless Services, Women’s Shelter, Department of Social Services, the school district or selfreferral. Annually the center works with over 150 children, with about 70 enrolled at a single time.44 In addition to preschool, the center provides affordable counseling services for children, parents and families. Thanks to the center’s affordable therapy services, many can receive the benefits of counseling that would not otherwise be able to afford it. Upwards of 25% of children who attend the CDRC suffer from attachment disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, trauma related disorders and issues as a result of prenatal drug and alcohol exposure.45 These children greatly benefit from the on-site therapy services offered.

Tuition is made affordable to low-income

families through grants and donations.

To generate more income, the CDRC opened Smart Studio in November of 2012. The Smart Studio is a green art studio and shop that sells donated art materials to be repurposed.46 The existing center is located along the base of the Bowden Ranch Open Space foothills and was constructed thanks to a one-time grant in 1999. Although the existing building was designed specifically for the CDRC, Director Terri Kurczewski admits the plan is too small for the center, lacks imagination and thanks to low-quality materials, is falling apart. In the next five years the lease of the existing property is due and the CDRC is looking to relocate.

A new center will give the CDRC the opportunity to exponentially grow their impact along the Central Coast. A design informed from the needs and goals of the CDRC will teachers, counselors and administrators offer the best care and education to the children attending the CDRC. If the built environment was carefully designed for the CDRC’s specific needs, children would have more opportunity to learn from unstructured play and their own explorations.

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Currently at the CDRC 97% of children come from low income families 1 in 4 children are diagnosed with a mental illness 40% of children have identified special needs

+ 70 students

+ 20 teachers

age makeup

=

CDRC

3 counselors

ethnic makeup

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2 year old classroom

3-5 year old classroom

state requirement

teacher–student ratios

an exploration

experimental research

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plant a seed. watch it grow.

By quick observation, it is apparent that few college students have an understanding of gardening or crop cultivation. In reaction to students disconnect with nature and gardening, gallery visitors were asked to get their fingers dirty and plant seeds. The exercise was intended to make people feel like a child by playing with dirt and witnessing nature work from seedling to edible spinach leaf.

A simple planter was hung made from a split concrete cylinder form screwed to a piece of found wood. A mix of various lettuce seeds were provided with many different diameters.

The exhibit took place in the Berg Gallery on Cal Poly’s campus. Students reflected the experience made them ‘feel like a kid again’ and ‘think about starting a garden themselves.’

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quorky Quorky is a multi-functional children’s piece made from 5,000 recycled ground wine corks.

The ambiguous shape of the chair allows for the piece to be a chair, bench, climbing prop, table and whatever else a child’s mind can imagine. The form of the furniture is derived from a parametric hexagon tesselation, so if more pieces were added they would all fit together forming a never-ending puzzle.

The original intent was to design a children’s chair that can change shapes when rolled. The material is intended to be biodegradable and lightweight for a child to move.

The project was as much materials exploration as design. Almost a dozen binders were tested for strength, durability and eco-friendliness.

The final binder was a low-VOC non-toxic compound cement. Cork was steamed, blended to a grind, mixed with the binder then poured in a mold and compressed. The overall form is the result of four forms poured, dried, cut and bound together.

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+ =

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human sun dial Bishops Peak Elementary school of San Luis Obispo is home to an exemplary volunteerrun garden and Outdoor Classroom.

A Human Sun Dial was part of the master plan of the Classroom and designed and executed throughout the year with project partner Amanda Rowlee. The dial teaches students about solar time as well as day light savings, colors, numbers and months.

Initial studies in sun dial history, design and structure were explored.

Multiple demonstrations and community charettes were hosted throughout the year to raise awareness and education of the coming sun dial. Many mock up designs and concrete pouring practices took place to affirm a strong and aesthetically pleasing result.

The process for making the actual sun dial started with mold creation. Nine number molds and two long bar molds were made using melamine coated MDF, screws and caulk.

Next shattered color glass was glued to the molds to mosaic the numbers and months. In one afternoon a trench 16 inches deep was dug for the footprint of the sun dial. The final dial was then installed by adding a base rock layer, the dials and filled with pea gravel as a border. Students enjoy learning about the sun and the newest addition to the garden.

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an example

precedent studies

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the outdoor classroom project

53 The Outdoor Classroom Project is a program striving to reintroduce preschools’ curriculum with the outdoors. In reaction to children’s increasing disconnect with nature, the OCP proposes strategies encourage children to learn and play outside. Through lectures and workshops; teachers, administration and parents are educated about the importance of outdoor play for a child’s development. The Outdoor Classroom Project has been introduced to over 4,000 childcare facilities, including the Orfalea’s Child Development Center located on Cal Poly’s campus.

Ideas of the ODC include: • all activities can be done inside and outside equally well • substantial time is spent outdoors with easy access between inside and out • full range of outdoor activities with a balance of physically strenuous to less physical • the outdoor environment evolves with children’s needs and education

la quinta, california eric nealson

54 Located in Northern Denmark, Aarstidernes Farm exists to educate children of the processes of produce growing and healthy eating. Through education by action, Aarstidernes strives to reconnect children with their natural surroundings, while gaining a greater understanding food production.

Children have the opportunity to attend the farm as a day trip or schools may adopt a plot of land to tend year round. Farm-goers are taught organic farming techniques and cooking classes, with hopes children will make healthy eating choices. and as a result make healthy eating choices.

In the first year of the farm’s opening in 2009 over 25,000 students and parents visited the farm. Parents report a positive change in their children and overall better state of mind. The school partners with Haver til Maver (translated Garden to Stomach), a governmentsponsored educational program focusing on children’s outdoor kitchen projects and organic growing practices.

aarstiderne farm

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humblebĂŚk, denmark

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islandwood

57 Annually over 4,000 eager elementary students visit Islandwood Outdoor School. Located on Bainbridge Island outside Seattle, the school dwells among the beauty of the evergreen forest. The school is an overnight camp with the mission “to provide exceptional learning experiences and to inspire lifelong environmental and community stewardship.”54 Islandwood gives children the opportunity to explore themselves while exploring nature. The 255-acre site offers a multitude of activities from hiking, bird watching, floating classrooms and science exploration. The school emphasizes a three-part focus that combines science, technology and the arts. All these focuses are implemented in children’s exploration of the outdoors.

Touching the earth as little as possible, all built environments are designed celebrate the land. The sun is taken advantage with a large solar meadow, building orientations, PV panels and solar water heating. A water-treatment living machine resides on-site to treat wastewater for reused in toilets and site irrigation.

Composting toilets, recycled products and locally sourced materials are other sustainable design features present. Islandwood’s built environment is something to marvel, yet the great outdoors steal the show.

mithun brainbridge island, washington

58 Leaves, twigs, water, ice, snow, rocks and dirt are just a few of the natural materials artist and photography Andy Goldsworthy uses for his inspiring pieces.

Goldsworthy is an internationally famed British sculptor that creates striking displays of patterns and designs using only natural materials he finds at his sites.

Goldsworthy first establishes himself at a set site then uses the materials he finds around him to inspire and fuel his creations. Goldsworthy finds intense worth in his site: “For me looking, touching, material, place and form are all inseparable from the resulting work.”51 Once complete (or tactfully incomplete) Goldsworthy photographs his work. Goldsworthy quotes: “I want my art to be sensitive and alert to changes in material, season and weather.”52 His works are dependent on time, weather and cycles within nature. Goldsworthy does not aim to tame nature but release its beauty and wisdom through his works. His simple forms have an inherent power and show the mystery of nature.

andy goldsworthy

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60 Studies have concluded that the Olea Europaea, also known as the olive tree has a unique structure shown to promote optimal light exposure within the tree. The leaf shape and size differ according to their location within the tree. Leaves closer to the edge of the branches receive the most sun exposure and are shown to be elongated, allow filtered light to penetrate to the interior leaves. The interior leaves are conditioned for diffused radiation in order to complete photosynthesis.

These findings show that the leaves within the tree most likely operate photosynthesis at different times during the day. The edge leaves photosynthesize when the sun is at the horizon, when it is most intense. The interior leaves operate photosynthesis when the sun is higher and can filter through the edge leaves.

These findings can influence a shading structure design that perform different purposes throughout the day. The structure design could optimize light radiation and quality throughout the day using different design features related to time of day.

the olive tree

61 Leaf-cutting ants are an incredible species that have evolved a complex and remarkable nest design. Ants live in nests that can house upwards of 5 million inhabitants, displace 15m3 of soil and can tunnel 6m underground.

The nests provide shelter and a place to cultivate food from the symbiotic fungus from leaf materials. Ventilation is necessarily to regulate temperate, humidity and release the CO2 produced by the ants’ activity. The ants regulate these challenges by wind-induced air-ventilation. Surface and central tunnels provide outflow tunnels, while the deeper tunnels provide inflow tunnels. The wind induced ventilation clears the unwanted gases while regulating temperature. The ants design turrets at the top of the nest which regulate air flow. The ants respond to the climate by closing the turrets in the autumn season to keep the tunnel warm in preparation for the colder months.

Climatic-response design and passive ventilation are examples to be taken from the ant’s precedent.

leaf cutting ants

62 The 1998 Allied Works project is an 8-foot wide concrete form that cuts through the diverse landscape of the Pacific Northwest.The simple form rises and falls according to the terrain, inviting discovery and connects users to the landscape. Depending on perspective and changes in light, the wall appears to dissolve in form and reemerge to a plane. When approached, one can see the wall is made void in certain spots that reference the surrounding landscape.

The Overlook is meant to reflect the landscape and allow users to experience the barren landscape in a new way. Observers are challenged to look beyond the material and inwards. The outlook challenges scale, distance and time to produce a sculpture along the landscape. The wall in 150 feet in length and in made of 8 main volumes.

maryhill outlook

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goldendale, washington allied works

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in between house

65 The InBetween House is a exemplary example of traditional Japanese building aesthetics and modern architecture. The design blends the indoor with the out with large connective overhangs and large window panes blur the indoors and out. The home is named ‘between’ because it balances the flow from indoor to outdoor in a very delicate and integrated way. The entire home area is 178 sq. m and is made of 5 single pitched cottages oriented towards the best view. The entrance is through a garage that invites mystery and exploration through several diverse volumes and interstitial spaces like an indoor/ outdoor patio. The space is first experienced through an opening living room that fans into three volumes, a dining room and kitchen and bedrooms. A beautiful sun room is placed between bedroom and bathroom to intensify the outdoor experience.

The entire project is constructed in traditional Japanese wood building techniques so that local builders already have mastered the craft.

karuizawa, nagona, japan koji arcitects

66 Annually thousands of migrant workers and their families travel from Mexico, Haiti and Honduras to the agricultural US South to assist with the harvests.

Founded in 1974, The East Coast Migrant Head Start Project (ECMHSP) works to provide free childcare to over 5,000 migrant children ages 6 weeks to five years.

In 2005 the ECMHSP asked architect Ted Hoffman to design six childcare centers located in the South.

Cost and mobility were key design features so centers can easily be brought to new farms. Centers consist of 4 to 6 mobile prefabricated modules, positioned to create a central play yard. Each 72 by 28 foot module is home to three classrooms, with one module for administration and offices. The project’s key feature is a steel clad structure supported by an exposed wood truss. The structure provides an outdoor social space and hub for the entire center.

east coast child care centers

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southern usa ted hoffman architects

68 The children of shantytowns Timayui and La Paz in Colombia have received a school where they can learn, play and feel safe. Architect Giancarlo Mazzanti is a well-established Colombian architect focused on early education centers.. His projects stand as symbol of triumph over political unrest and violence in towns.

Mazzanti’s design encourages children to engage in independent exploration, social interactions and establish a commitment to the larger community. His designs achieve this through flexible spaces that host a multitude of educational possibilities like classrooms, covered outdoor areas, uncovered courtyards and playgrounds linked to the natural surroundings.

The school is a collection of pre-fabricated concrete pyramidal modules that reflect the surrounding mountains. The pyramid forms function as passive heat chimneys, driving ventilation and natural light. The final 15,600ft2 project was completed in 7 months for about $40/ ft2.

timayui + la paz preschools

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giancarlo mazzanti architects timayui + la paz, colombia

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telefonplan vittra school

71 Telefonplan Stockholm is a new Vittra school ‘without walls’ designed by Danish firm Rosan Bosch. Vittra Schools are ‘free schools’ in Sweden focused on technology, billigual-international education and outof-the-box thinking. Telefonplan’s loosely designed interior offers an opportunity for collective learning and interaction, where physical space is the most important educational tool. Spaces have ambiguous definitions so students can choose how to use the place; whether it be a parkour playground, theatre or study lounge.

The school’s design is focused entirely on the interior thanks to custom furnishings and the removal of walls.

Vittra emphasizes a digital education and every student is given their own laptop. The lap tops are students’ tool for independent education. Although Telefonplan is interior-focused, students are encouraged to be active by unique exercise classes and interacting with spaces inside.

stockholm, sweden rosan bosch

72 The Leimond child’s center has been called the “House of Light” thanks to its numerous roof light monitors.

Archdivision is known for their use of light and shaped light monitors and they have delivered at the Leimond nursery school. Completed in 2011, the nursery sits on the outskirts of Nagahama city and serves children ages 0-5.

Light is used as a material, an experience and a form of play. Numerous colored square light monitors are placed within the plan, creating inner ‘houses of light’ that dictate classrooms and other rooms. The light changes according to day and season showing children the cycles of light within a year. From the outside the light monitors add character to the nondescript surrounding landscape.

the leimond nursery school

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nagahama, shiga, japan archivision hirotani studio

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prinsessegade kindergarten + youth center

75 In reaction to Copenhagen’s swelling youth population, the city is building the largest kindergarten and youth center in Denmark. The competition-winning design proposes a Kid’s City which functions like its name, as a small-scale city for children. In reaction to institutionalize factory-like centers, the program is separated into many smaller buildings with different functions. The Kids’ City is designed to accommodate and entertain any child, so the center is bursting with activity-opportunities that reflect Copenhagen’s diverse city fabric. Varied buildings like a city hall, fire station, restaurant, stadium, factory and rooftop ball cage give children the ultimate play experience.

The 42,000ft2 program was inspired by the existing landscape and responds to the surrounding urban environment by preserving existing trees and landscape conditions. The center is projected to be complete in 2014 and is located along two central streets in the eccentric Christianshavn neighborhood of Copenhagen.

copenhagen, denmark cobe + nord architects

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teton county children’s learning center

77 Three objectives were outlined to the architects of Teton Learning Center: it must fit into the surrounding context, achieve at least LEED Silver and stimulate children through its design. Ward + Blake Architects teamed up with D.W. Arthur and Associates, a child-design specialist firm, to design the new facility.

Rustic wood, slanted roofs, horizontal slat fences and beaver slides were just a few of the elements used by the architects to blend this chic-new center into the not-so-chic surrounding ranchlands of Wyoming. In order to achieve the performance requirements, the center gains more than 50% of its heating through geothermal heating. Sod roofs catch and filter most rainwater and a computer operated lighting system regulates artificial and natural light. These elements contributed to the center’s overall Gold LEED rating.

The plan was derived by a ‘living-room’ concept that brings children of all ages together but with breakout rooms designed for specific ages. This living room was accomplished through a curving and wide central hallway. This 12,000ft2 complex is broken down by creating small forms within the whole and adding plenty of large pane and clerestory windows.

jackson, wyoming ward + blake architects, d.w. arthur & associates architecture

78 Sitting on a slope in mountains of northern Italy, this expressive yet simple new children’s center strives give children a sense of identity through architecture.

The design is broken up into three different “houses.”

Each home is positioned and formed in relation to an adjacent primary school and the site. The varying height levels and misalignment of the homes are to give children a unique place and identity within the center. Children feel “at home” in their respective space.

The homes are connected by glazed zones that allow light and an indoor-outdoor flow feel. Clad in white concrete, hand-cut larch siding and larch shingles, the center is intended to put a new spin on the traditional materials and palette of northern Italy.

The steep site is addressed by fitting the center into the slope. A large multipurpose space is found on the bottom level that opens into the lower level play spaces. The base floor is home to connective bridges, galleries and air space that offer many spatial experiences for children to understand their bearings.

kindergarten terenten

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terenten, italy feld72

a place

site research

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a new site The existing CDRC has outgrown its property on Bishops Street off Johnson and the new center will find a new home on Woodbridge Street near Meadow Park in San Luis Obispo, California.

The site offers easy access from a socioeconomic range of housing developments, bus and bike accessibility, and an undeveloped space edging South Hills Open Space to be explored.

The site is part of the South Hills Open Space, which is protected under San Luis Obispo Open Space, however exceptions to the reserve include childcare centers. The proposed center will celebrate the natural surroundings and will invite others to enjoy the South Hill Open Space.

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san luis obispo San Luis Obispo (SLO) is an eclectic city of 45,000 that satisfies all, from the city dweller to the country cattle wrangler.

Located roughly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo sits just ten minutes from the coast. Home to two colleges, California Polytechnic State University and Cuesta College, the city has a youthful and progressive vibe.

Originally Chumash Indians called what is now SLO their home. However, in 1772 Father Junínpero Serra founded Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolsa, westernizing the indigenous population.62 The mission continues to serve at the epicenter of SLO’s popular downtown. Since the city’s original founding, SLO has matured into a creative and intellectual hub.

SLO hosts a cool Mediterranean climate thanks to its coastal location allowing agriculture to thrive in the region. Outdoor activities like kayaking, hiking, rock climbing and surfing are popular in the regional.

Common industries in San Luis Obispo are education, retail and tourism. As of October 2010, 8.9% of citizens were unemployed, compared to 7.9%, the concurrent national average.63 According to the 2010 Census, 21.8% of residents live under the poverty line.64 Thanks to the city’s large college-age population and the 2007 founding of the SLO County Bike Coalition, biking is a popular and increasing mode of transportation. However, the car still dominates as a popular mode of transportation.

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san luis obispo statistics

race

age distribution

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annual income

education

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climate analysis San Luis Obispo has a very mild Mediterranean climate. There are some seasonal variations to weather patterns but is temperate. Most days are sunny and offer solar power potential. South facing windows for solar heat gain with overhangs to protect in the summer are a strong design consideration.

the facts Water source:

Power source: Waste: Gas Source: Zoning: Height Limitations: Occupancy: Type: Parking Requirements: Fencing Requirements:

Salinas Reservoir (Santa Margarita Lake), Whale Rock Reservoir, Nacimiento Reservoir, ground water, and recycled water66 PGE68 Integrated Waste Management Authority69 The Southern Gas Company70 Open Space71 25 feet 72 35 ft2/person net 73 Educational 7, street parking acceptable and available (1/12 children)74 4 foot min height75

psychometric chart january

july

february

august

march

september

april

october

may

november

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comfort range

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climate data As the 55-75 chart and sun path diagram show areas for necessary sunlight and times of overheating when shading is necessary. As seen by the chart, there are more cooling periods in San Luis Obispo. Because of this trend, solar orientation for heat is especially important and shading devices are necessary for certain periods.

Differences between high and low average temperature ranges around 20째 F each month. Average rainfall is 23.7in per year.79

average high and low temperature (째F)

sun path diagram and 55-75 temp chart

average rainfall (in)

wind roses Predominant wind comes from the northwest year round. The site is at its lowest elevation in the northwest corner as well, leaving little protection from wind. The northwesterly wind will be strongly blocked by high tree barriers and few facing windows. The natural wind will help with natural ventilation so high northwest facing windows will be added to the design.

june

december

june- december wind composite

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childcare in san luis obispo There are more than thirteen existing child care centers in San Luis Obispo that can be seen on the map below. Centers range in size, from 20 students to over 100 students per school. Elementary, both public and private are noted as well. The existing CDRC is shown in its current Johnson Street location. The yellow dot marks the CDRC’s new location. It can be seen that there is a lack of walkable preschools around the proposed area, making it a good candidate for a new preschool. preschools elementary schools existing CDRC site new CDRC site

accessibility The proposed center was chosen thanks to its accessibility to car-alternative transportation.

Bike lanes are available and expanding thanks to the SLO County Bike Coalition and City of San Luis Obispo. Additionally, there are four bus routes within walking distance of the site, which can connect most living in San Luis Obispo to a route. Children that walk or bike to school are less likely to suffer from placement anxiety because they understand the way home from school.

bike paths

bus route + walk times

bike lane shared with autos

walk time

separate bike lane

bus route 5

bike lane on street

bus route 4 bus route 3 bus route 2

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history of the south hills open space Despite the South Hills Open Space untouched features, the site is unique to San Luis Obispo’s history. The hills are made of serpentine rock, a blue-grey mineral formed from the ocean seventy million years ago. The harsh rock is unsuitable for agriculture and the South Hills area is home to few native species. Currently 55 bird species, 17 mammals species, 8 reptile and 3 amphibian species are known to exist in the South Hills area.33 Prior to the founding of the South Hill’s Open Space, the hill was once known as ‘Cheapskate Hill.’ In the 1920s San Luis Obispo was home to Exposition Park, an auto racing track located in current day Meadow Park area. The hill served as a view platform for patrons too ‘cheap’ to buy bleacher seats. Within three short years the auto racing proved unprofitable and the track was closed.66 Later 18 of 80 original acres became Meadow Park, a large community park popular for bbqs, volleyball games and a community garden.

The 133- acre South Hills Open Space is the result of donations from private owners from 1981 to 2007.34 The site is now the start to a two-mile hiking loop around the crests of the South Hills. The hike offers an excellent view of all of San Luis Obispo.

south hills and site

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site exploration

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kestrel

100 red tail hawk

the existing

squirrel

slo star tulip

chocolate lily red fox

peregrine falcon

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deer mouse

coyote

adobe sanicle

an idea program

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proposal The new CDRC will not only serve as a preschool but a community hub. The unique location of the center lends to the center’s proposed blend into the surroundings. The entire program will focus on celebrating the natural environment and work to improve the natural landscape through a holistic sustainable design.

The new CDRC will continue serve its existing purpose as a preschool. There will be two classes of each age, 2, 3 and 4-year olds for a total of 6 classrooms.

The CDRC will be able to expand its influence in the community by increasing it’s capacity.

The center will function as a counseling center as well.

Three counseling offices will be integrated into the design to provide therapy opportunities for the community.

The built environment will seek to balance embrace children’s growth, family’s desires and employee’s needs.

A teachers’ lounge and parent resource center will help

bridge this gap. The center will strive to be a home away from home for all in the community.

Designing for a non-profit proposes an intense financial challenge. The CDRC is funded entirely from a network of donations and grants. Good design must be affordable design, so the campus must be designed for longevity with low-tech and passive design principles.

To generate revenue and engage the public with the center, the campus will host a public art studio available for rent for community, private and educational events. The studio will encourage the creation of art through natural elements.

The studio will function as an artelier during school hours for classes to have full access, In off hours, the studio will be open to the public. The hope is that the studio will be a place for young families to bond and explore the art of natural elements.

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design intentions • maximize children’s outdoor exposure by making outdoor play desirable and accessible • educate children about passive design and the environmental through the design • create a design that creates a spiritual environment for children’s health • provide safety and feelings of security • design a built environment act as a second teacher

students

teachers admin counselors patients

public

new center capacities

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program

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estimated areas

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a process

design iterations

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Early design possibilities were explored through a design charette. A topic of exploration was assigned with twenty minutes on the clock to create a model that conveyed the message of the assigned investigation.

Sun, wind and light kicked off the exploration. A radiating south-facing facade with large overhangs was designed. Reflective wall covering were chosen illuminate the light into the dark areas of the building. The following model was a continued exploration of sun, wind and light expressing large overhangs, a cooling tower and reflective walls.

The next challenge was program. Multiple pods radiating around ‘hubs’ were made form

exploration through action

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honeycomb cardboard to represent classrooms. The hubs are to represent places for shared activity, such as an art studio, music lab and computer lab.

Next, connectivity between spaces was explored. Several pods were created to represent different programs within the center. These pods were then playfully connected to like obstacles mimic a playground.

Lastly, biomimicry was explored. The structure of a snail shell was the initial inspiration. The radiating shell is strong and creates a number of unique spaces within.

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initial iterations Initial design exploration was performed through physical modeling and sketches. The two most influential plans were nicknamed ‘the boomerang’ and ‘it takes a village.’

‘The boomerang’ took advantage of the site’s solar and street orientation while maximizing public play.

‘It takes a village’ separated the building components to pieces for diversity within the center and promoted the maximum outdoor experience by keeping all circulation outdoors.

the boomerang

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it takes a village

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the wall The idea of ‘a wall’ the connects the entire project was first stemmed by function.

Code requires a 4’ minimum fence to contain the entire children’s center. Rather than design a beautiful center to be hidden by a wall, the wall has become a design element. Inspired by Allied Works Maryhill Outlook, a wall that interacts with the topography and built environment is proposed. Countless iterations of wall and walls were tested. Additionally scenario sketches of what the wall could do were explored.

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daylight exploration In the beginning stages of design, daylighting models and colored light wells were explored. Through a simple daylighting model, these experiences were tested. A single model was used with different light wells, scoops and monitors attached to the roof. A fish eye lens was used to get the full interior experience.

The most desirable light was the final experiment, a reflected color from a back painted panel.

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the classroom In preparation for the section show, the design was zoomed into a classroom to understand structure, materials and sections. The classroom was initially designed in two predominant zones– play and service. The play zone is open, free and with obstacles for play. The service zone is the kitchenette, storage, and bathrooms. A drawn section was taken laterally through the classroom with colors being very vibrant within the center and desaturating when while moving towards the street. This is to show used within that there is life contained with nature in the center and dullness closer to the street.

The model explored materials, using a green roof on the service portion of the classroom, playful punched out windows for sitting perches and playful elements like a rope bridge.

p l a y f l o w / a c t i v e / a d v e n t u r e

s e r v i c e

s u n n y / w a r m / f l o w

c h a l l e n g e / p e r s o n a l d a r k / s l e e p / p r i v a t e

s t o r y / i m a g i n e / m a g i c a l / q u i e t

q u i e t / d i m / p e r s o n a l

g r o u p p l a y / f r e e e n t r y / i n d o o r o u t d o o r f l o w o p e n p l a y / a c t i v e / f l e x i b l e

k i t c h e n / w e t / p r e p p a t i o / f l o w / p l a y / a c t i v e g r o u p p l a y / t a b l e s / f o o d

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inital classroom section model

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the wall from topography Further examination of the wall proposed the wall to be connected to the existing topography. Topography lines were taken from the site and mirrored or rotated to produce a wall for that worked with the site conditions and maximized solar gain.

The wall works as a connective piece with classrooms and offices nestled within.

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the entry approach The approach the center is key. For children the entry must represent a separation from the outside world to the playful interior walls of the center. The entry is accessed through a sloping trail from the exterior that funnels into a short tunnel and then reemerges with views of the natural surroundings. The entry is meant to signify a transition from the built outside world to the inside natural world.

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breaking down the wall Thanks to a critique of the wall being too fortress-like, the design changed drastically and the program was broken up into smaller pieces. This differentiation in program allows children the opportunity to venture through the site to get to place to place rather than walk linearly along the wall. The rammed earth walls became accent walls protruding from the buildings, connecting landscape to built.

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the wall: rammed earth Rammed earth was explored to distinguish The Wall from other walls within the design.

Rather than acting as a retaining wall, the rammed earth wall was designed to be an accent wall that connected children to the outdoors. The walls extended from indoors to outdoors– blurring inside and out. In addition, the walls continued the inhabitable window design explored earlier. Cut outs within the wall allowed children to dwell within the wall, inside the earth.

The rammed earth walls was developed by using dirt from the South Hills site. A mold was made using melamin coated mdf with a block cutout for the window. Dirt, mortar cement and water were mixed together and added, layer-by-layer to achieve the stratification effect. with mortar cement, The process was somewhat successful. Due to time restraints, the wall was not given enough time to cure so in its weakness, the form cracked before full strength. Additionally because pressure was not added during the layering process, the stratifications were not extremely defined.

a new home

final design

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site design The finalized site design is determined by environmental and planning factors. The steep slope, southern orientation, westward winds and existing road contributed to the footprint of buildable area.

The campus was design in five separate buildings: three classroom clusters, the art center and kitchen and the counseling center. The buildings were separated to first breakdown the massiveness of the center and allow children to feel safe in the child-scaled design.

Secondly, the differentiation in buildings gives children the opportunity to understand their place in the center and learn more about their bearings. And lastly, the buildings are separated to promote outdoor experiences when traveling from space to space. From the time children arrive on site to the time they leave, they are anticipated to always be outside or have an obstructed view of the outdoors.

An existing water source runs through the site. To respond to the natural elements of the site, the existing water runoff stream was maintained and emphasized in the design.

All buildings within the campus are connected to the source and face the central stream.

In practicality, the stream is more of a rock outcropping, in use only when San Luis Obispo experiences the rare rain shower.

From there, a central piazza was created upon entry to the site. The piazza is meant create an outdoor ‘living room’ for families and children to interact before and after school and as well as host events in the adjacent amphitheater built into the hillside.

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site plan art center and kitchen permeable drive communal play field wind blocking forest green roof outdoor classroom human sundial communal gardening natural play structure

landscape slide rainwater collection ponds hardscape play

rammed earth walls classroom cluster rock outcropping/ existing creek bed amphitheater piazza counseling center public trail entrance

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n 2 0

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1/64 inch = 1 foot

1 / 3 2 i n c h e s = 1 f o o t s c a l e

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teaching kitchen individual exploration area kiln

group exploration

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foyer

parent resource center admin

ground floor plan n 2

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art and counsel center plan

tower plan

individual creativity zone

teacher’s lounge

counsel center

second floor plan

While emphasis was placed on the classroom schemes, the central shared spaces were not ignored. These spaces included a central piazza, family counseling center, public natural arts center, teaching kitchen, parent resource center and teacher’s lounge. The foci of the public spaces is the invite creative interaction for children of all ages yet to provide outlets for individual and smaller play. This can be seen by the art center’s design in which a large central art area is design with an adjacent smaller art studio for individual exploration.

In effort to reconnect children and nature, outdoor areas are given emphasis while indoor areas a minimalized. All indoor spaces are fueled with natural light and views to the natural outdoors.

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Kitchen Entry Perspective

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sun zone

wet zone

open zone

quiet zone

indoor outdoor flow space open zone wet zone quiet zone

sun zone

ground floor plan n 2

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classroom cluster plan

individual play zone

individual play zone

loft floor plan

The six classrooms were broken apart into three classroom clusters. These clusters consisted of two classrooms, a service space and shared flow space. The clusters were designed to mimic little homes, each cluster with the shed room and gable roof.

The flow space acted as a entry to the cluster and indoor-outdoor flow space.

These central areas were glass covered breezeways between the classrooms with nana walls for full flow on temperate days.

Other element within the classroom design were the pop out zone spaces and rammed earth accent walls.

Experiential Section - Classroom Cluster

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Site Section- Classroom View

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materials study All cladding and building materials were chosen because of their relation to the site. The colors and textures from the existing landscape were mimicked in the cladding materials of green fiber cement panels and rustic reclaimed wood.

Likewise, the blue gray rock was replicated by using CMU blocks and exposed concrete. Lastly the rammed colorfully rustic earth walls act as accent walls that contrast against the greens and browns.

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energy analysis

Different schemes for sustainable design were explored using Autodesk Vasari. Changes such as orientation and glazing percentages were changed to optimize the energy requirements within the building.

A.

B. • rotated 15° • 40% glazing orientation

net energy use and production

fuel consumption

• rotated 15° • 30% glazing • shaded glazing

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C.

D. • rotated 0° • 20% glazing • shaded glazing

• rotated 0° • 30% glazing • shaded glazing

A.

B.

154 energy use / cost

fuel

heating load

cooling load

C.

D. 155

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a conclusion ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS After analyzing the Vasari energy calculations it appears that a 30% glazing with glazing shaded is the most efficient design. More windows could have been added to the proposed design because the design had less than 30% glazing. Although the energy calculations were effective, they were not entirely accurate. The level of detail the program could not adjust for different types of windows and different shading techniques, as used in the proposed project. Likewise, the large slope that the center is nestled below could not be modeled properly in Vasari for accurate results. This slope is an additional shading factor not taken into account.

DESIGN CRITIQUE Overall I enjoy the aesthetic and functional value of the proposed center. However after stepping back from design and reevaluating the thesis and design I wish I would have stretched boundaries more. All year I felt like I had to make something extrodinarily creative, yet function, to code and environmentally responsive. While these goals are all honorable, I

wish I could have design something more extreme and figured the details out later.

In keeping with the thesis of reconnecting children and nature I could have stretched the boundary more by focusing more on the landscape design. Likewise the idea of creating mobile, nomaic structures that dwell on the site but move according to seasons came to mind. This movement of the center could teach children more about the seasons and push them even further outside.

REFLECTION I learned that thesis is not about a pretty project at the end of the year, it is about the process in which you got there. Hundreds of hours of exploration, design iterations and learning were spent in order to learn, not to produce a snazzy project. The yearlong thesis gave me the opportunity to explore new programs, a multitude of prescedents and explore through building. Although time consuming sun dial project and vellum shows were extremely beneficial in my own development as an artist, designer and builder.

a thanks

works cited

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the end.