Lusher Elementary Play Yard Re-think by Small Center

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK PROJECT COLLABORATORS

WILLOW STREET CAMPUS PLAN A Project of

LUSHER CHARTER SCHOOL In Collaboration With

THE TULANE CITY CENTER Special Thanks to

Kathleen Riedlinger Sheila Nelson LUSHER PTSA LUSHER HEALTH + WELLNESS COMMITTEES HUGH LIGHTING DESIGN PIERRE STOUSE ERIK ARNOLD JILL DUPRE

This Play Yard Re-Think is important because it will … :: Create an inviting, supportive, and safe environment for over 650 grade school students, their families, and the visiting community :: Support academic learning and the arts :: Support the health and wellness of our community “We recognize that well-maintained, beautiful facilities create positive work and learning environments; therefore, we pledge to improve our buildings and grounds. They should be pleasing to all our senses, with well-groomed landscaping and abundant artwork. They should be clean and safe. They should offer space for recreation and exercise. Lighting will be of the highest quality, and white noise from equipment will be minimized. Clutter will be reduced. Well-organized and thoughtfully designed spaces in addition to well-maintained buildings and grounds will be the norm. We will place great importance on maximum use and beauty when planning for our building and grounds. We want all the Lusher facilities to further - not distract from or impede - our mission of educating our students and enabling them to lead happy, productive, and healthy lives.” - Lusher Health and Wellness Policy “The Tulane City Center is devoted to producing tangible results that are well integrated into their community context and that answer real needs defined by the involved constituents.” - Tulane City Center

Summary While looking to solve the immediate safety and conflicting use concerns, a further discussion was initiated through the Tulane City Center to provide a long-term vision for the campus. This vision enhances the educational and curricular experience though thoughtful and considered exterior spaces that strengthen connections to both the interior of the school and the wider neighborhood. Through extensive research on best practices, a series of presentations and collaborative meetings with key stakeholders (including neighbors, parents, administrators, and teachers) a plan was devised to guide the long term reconfiguration of the campus exterior spaces to reflect the school’s mission and accommodate the community needs to provide an inviting, supportive and safe environment. We see the images in this booklet to be a powerful tool for continuing to clarify priorities, for fund raising opportunities and to communicate with our families and neighbors about this important initiative. 2

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK CONTENTS

Overview

Project Goals

Design Idea

Final Design + Campus Plan 10 Project Component | Front of School 16 Project Component | Community Courtyard 18 Project Component | Central Spine 20 Project Component | “Found” Spaces 24 Implementation 25 Process + Precedent 26 Resources 28 Acknowledgments 29

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK BUILDING ON TRADITION AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY Lusher Charter School is rooted in a strong tradition of academic excellence, commitment to the arts, and an appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of the university neighborhood and the city. Lusher has been highly successful in creating one of the most diverse student populations in the state. Today, the Lusher community serves 1,700 students from kindergarten through high school. The school has been recognized locally and nationally for its academic excellence and received the state’s highest rating for academic performance. Lusher Mission Statement Our mission at Lusher Charter School is to provide a developmentally appropriate learning environment in which high academics, comprehensive arts education, and the celebration of individuality and diversity enable each child to achieve as a learner, a person, and a valuable member of our society. The Willow Campus master-plan supports the core belief that for Lusher to be successful in its mission it must provide an inviting, supportive and safe environment: Inviting for the Lusher family community (Morning Meetings), the neighborhood (Crawfish Boil), and wider New Orleans communities through the celebration of the arts; Supportive in that we see the exterior space as being an under-utilized learning environment and can do much more to support academics, the arts, and student wellness; Safe in proactively addressing the existing hazards of drop-off /pick up, the lack of shade in the school yard, inadequate lighting in the evening, and the difficulties of accommodating recess and physical education at the same time. Since Katrina, making use of the limited urban space in which Lusher children play and learn has become even more critical. The pressure on the exterior spaces is a result of both the growth of the student body to over 650 children and the transformation of the Afterschool Program to serve significantly more students (an increase from 80 to 400 students participating in specialized classes).

Main Entrance at Front of School

School Culture The robust Lusher Culture is arguably the school’s most important asset. The Campus master plan aims to sustain and enhance Lusher School’s Culture in the following ways: :: Represent and reinforce the school’s identity and image :: Enhance the welcoming environment on campus :: Maintain the visibility of children in the front of campus (recess in front) :: Strengthen the relationship between all members of the community (students, parents, faculty, staff and administration) by designing places for interaction 4

Willow Street Approach to School

Morning Meeting 5

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK KEY PROJECT GOALS

Create Sense Of Arrival Accommodate Rainy Day Drop-off and Pickup

Maintain and Enhance Needed Services Address Nuisance and Mechanical Noise

Eliminate Visual Barriers and Resolve Poor Connection to Morning Meeting

Protect and Enhance Tree Canopy to Provide Shade

Strengthen Formal Entry and Celebrate Children at Play at Front of School

Design to Satisfy Multiple Uses at Community Courtyard Morning Meeting and Physical Education

Enhance Learning Through Programming of Underutilized Outdoor Spaces

Provide a Safe, Welcoming Environment that Encourages Health and Wellness 7

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK DESIGN IDEA FOR CAMPUS PLAN AND FRONT OF SCHOOL

Campus Design The design of the campus is conceived of as two primary Outdoor Rooms connected by a Linear Central Spine element. The first outdoor room is the more formal ‘Willow Street Play Yard’. This space wraps the main building and is shady, refined and reflects the school’s traditions and history. The second outdoor room is the ‘Pine Street Community Courtyard’. This area is dynamic, sunny and provides an informal and flexible family room for the Lusher Community. The ‘Linear Central Spine’ element runs directly between the new pedestrian gates at Lowerline and Pine Streets, both delineating and connecting the two main Outdoor Rooms of the campus. Other previously considered ‘left over’ spaces around the edges of the campus have also been reclaimed in the master plan to accommodate new recreational, educational and environmental uses to compliment those of the two primary outdoor rooms. Design Challenges for Primary Outdoor Rooms The Willow Street Front Yard presented a challenge of providing a strong sense of ‘identity and entry’ to the main school building for both the community and guests while simultaneously accommodating recess and its wide varieties of play types and needs throughout the day. The Re-Think embraces these overlapping uses, and envisions well thought out places to minimize conflicts while providing a dynamic and rich experience. The Pine Street Courtyard, with the recent opening of the adjacent Goldring Performing Arts Center, has become a new unofficial ‘main door’ to the school. But due to poor accommodation of the many ‘back door’ uses required of this space (such as garbage collection, cafeteria deliveries and location of mechanical systems) it currently neither reflects the mission of the school nor the opportunity to maximize the tight urban site to enhance academics, arts, and extracurricular activities. The Play Yard Re-Think re-envisions this area as a ‘Community Courtyard’ to facilitate ‘main door’ activities such as student drop-off and pick-up, Lusher’s renowned all-school morning meetings and performances, the main entry to the adjacent Goldring Performing Arts Center, and needs to be welcoming from adjacent streets. The design challenge, for which Tulane City Center support is invaluable, is to provide all these functions, while accommodating the service needs and supporting the widest possible uses for physical education and after school recreation. 8

Front of School

Option for New Front Entry

SPINE

CONNECTING

STRENGTHENING community INFORMAL

FORMAL

BUILDING ON Tradition

Primary Design Idea 9

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK CAMPUS PLAN AND PROGRAM LOWERLINE

F1 | SPINE

L | TURTLE COURTYARD

B2 | RECESS EQUIPMENT

K | ADVENTURE WALK

G | NEW BRIDGE

A | FORMAL ENTRY

I | MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

WILLOW

JEANNETTE F2 | SPINE

H | COURTYARD

I | MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT B1 | RECESS FIELD

C | SERVICE AREAS

D| FRONT PERIMETER

E | BACK PERIMETER

PINE NORTH

J | NORTHERN LOT

A | FORMAL ENTRY ICONIC IMAGE OF SCHOOL

E | BACK PERIMETER

I | MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

SHADED, QUIET

NEW 5’ METAL FENCE IN BACK KEEPING WITH GOLDRING AESTHETIC

TO BE SCREENED, REPLACED OR INSULATED TO REDUCE NOISE

NEW ENTRY GATE CENTERED ON BUILDING

LIVING FENCE WITH DECORATIVE PANELS AT GOLDRING STAGE AREA

EXTERIOR P/A SYSTEM TO BE REPAIRED

FORMAL SEATING AND PLANTING AREAS STONE PAVERS TO ALLOW PERMEABILITY

B1 | RECESS NEW ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD NEWLY PAINTED FOUR SQUARE COURTS BASKETBALL AND WALL BALL AREA CIRCULAR SEATING AREA FOR SMALL GROUPS

B2 | RECESS NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT AND ARTIFICIAL TURF NATURE PLAY AREA IN LANDSCAPE WITH TOUCHABLE PLANTS

C | SERVICE AREAS NEW GARBAGE COLLECTION AREA WITH MECHANICAL SCREENING TO MATCH NEW SLIDING SERVICE GATES AT LOWERLINE AND PINE STREETS

D | FRONT PERIMETER

DRINKING FOUNTAINS TO BE REPLACED AND EXPANDED

F | SPINE NEW COVERED CONNECTION BETWEEN PINE AND LOWERLINE POST AND BEAM STRUCTURE WITH MIX OF METAL AND TRANSLUCENT ROOF PANELS NEW OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AT LOWERLINE PORCH AT COURTYARD PROVIDES INFORMAL MEETING AREA

G | NEW BRIDGE BRIDGE TO REPLACE EXISTING CONNECTION BETWEEN BUILDINGS AT 2ND AND 3RD FLOORS - WIDEN TO PROVIDE MEETING AREAS

H | COURTYARD NEW TALL “GREEN” SHADE WALL

J | NORTHERN LOT NEW STORAGE SHED ALONG JEANNETTE NEW TURF AND PLANTING SHADED BIKE STORAGE AREA

K | ADVENTURE WALK WALKWAY AROUND WEST OF 1ST GRADE CLASSROOMS TO HAVE NEW GRAVEL AND STONE PAVERS WHIMSICAL GATE TO BE COMMISSIONED AT LOWERLINE DAYLIGHT DRAINAGE WITH RAIN GARDEN STREAM

L | TURTLE COURTYARD NEW PLANTER ON NORTH WALL

40’ x 75’ ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD

COMMISSION 3’ BRONZE TURTLE SCULPTURE

NEW EQUIPMENT STORAGE FOR GYM

NEW IRON FENCE WITH MASONRY BASE

REMOVE EXISTING PLANTER AND REPLACE PLANTERS AT EDGES OF SPACE

NEW DECORATIVE GATE

NEW 5’ IRON FENCE AT FRONT NEW PEDESTRIAN GATES AT PINE AND LOWERLINE ON AXIS WITH SPINE SECURITY SYSTEM INTEGRATED GATES

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK FRONT AERIAL

I F

B2 I

H E

G | NEW BRIDGE H | COURTYARD I | MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT J | NORTHERN LOT

K | ADVENTURE WALK L | TURTLE COURTYARD

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK COURTYARD AERIAL

B1 I

A | FORMAL ENTRY B | RECESS C | SERVICE AREAS D | FRONT PERIMETER

E | BACK PERIMETER F | SPINE J

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK FRONT OF SCHOOL - BUILDING ON TRADITION

new playground equipment

TACTILE Soft Play

Formal entry

New entry Gate mini amphitheater

MOUND

soft surface play field

Hard surface play

NEW SHADE TREE

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK COMMUNITY COURTYARD

NEW STORAGE SHED

BAMBOO PLANTERS WATER GARDEN STATION 1A STATION 1B

new planter

STATION 2

STATION 3

ball wall

pine street entrance

Porch at Community Courtyard 19

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK CENTRAL SPINE + FOUND SPACES Linear Central Spine The proposed Central Spine creates a visual and physical axis through the full width of the campus block between Pine and Lowerline Streets, bringing parents and children directly into the Community Courtyard from either side. The proposed Spine employs a variety of roof heights and angles to direct both water and wayward balls towards new rain gardens while providing a continuous covered connection between the various buildings and Lowerline Street. The canopy is a mix of translucent and solid materials (wood and metal) to provide effective day lighting as well as texture and color. The spine has three main components including a “Porch” at the morning meeting area, an informal meeting and project space running up to the bridge (complete with benches and tables), and a tall narrow passage that widens to create an outdoor classroom that can be used for quiet play at recess and for covered student pick-up. The Central Spine takes advantage of an underutilized and ‘leftover’ space to create a place of identity and connection. Found Space A re-visioning of other currently underutilized spaces to create opportunities for learning and recreation include: the Turtle Courtyard at the first grade entrance, the Back Flex-Field, as well as, the Adventure Walk. These places expand the possibility of engaging in the out-of-doors throughout the curriculum in a manner that prioritizes touch and experience.

Proposed Spine

Summary of Willow Street Campus Plan Goals The pressure on every available square foot of the tight urban site requires that the exterior areas of the school be of the highest quality. Key goals are to (1) provide a safe and attractive entry on Pine, Willow and Lowerline Streets, (2) accommodate recess as well as provide a memorable and defined entry experience at Willow, (3) accommodate morning meeting, physical education and create a sense of place in the Pine street courtyard, (4) provide safe, modern, and age-appropriate play equipment; (5) create space for ball play, physical education, and sports, (6) create a contemplation space for quieter students, (7) provide additional shaded areas to be used in all weather, (8) provide permanent storage for outdoor sports and education equipment and (9) provide filtered, refrigerated water, 10) add an Outdoor Classroom, and 11) look at the opportunities of residual spaces to be more fully utilized, such as the addition of an edible garden, and integrating the cafeteria with an outside eating area. The intent is to get students outside as much as possible and employ the environment to support the mission of the school. 20

Existing Condition

Porch at Community Courtyard 21

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK CENTRAL SPINE

covered drop off and pick up lowerline st. entrance

covered drop off and pick up outdoor classroom

pine st. entrance

high roof

rain garden benches for informal meeting

tables for informal meeting

rain garden

porch at courtyard

Outdoor Classroom

View from Pine Street Entry

Bridge Replacement 23

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK FOUND SPACES | TURTLE COURTYARD + ADVENTURE WALK + BACK FIELD

pavers and gravel PLANTER new solid wall TURTLE SCULPTURE NEW BENCHES defined path and seating for outdoor teaching stream and RAIN GARDEN

RAIN GARDEN

HAND PUMP TO ACtIVATE RAIN GARDEN

visual barrier planting

STORAGE SHED with covered bike storage and outdoor laboratory

IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS INDEPENDENT OF SCHEDULE (as funding and interest allow) :: :: :: ::

Mechanical Upgrade (reduce noise as possible) Audio Upgrade New drinking fountains and outdoor sink Northern Lot (new planting at neighbor edge, new storage / outdoor lab / covered bike parking) :: Turtle Courtyard (commissioned sculpture, new planter, optional new gate) :: Adventure Walk (new whimsy gate(s), demo existing storage, new gravel and pavers, fence to neighbors, rain garden)

:: :: :: :: ::

New tree and game re-paint at Lowerline side yard Perimeter planting on Lowerline Street Repair and revise drop off at Pine Street New iron fence with masonry base at Adventure Walk/ Turtle Courtyard New fence at Community Courtyard including taller section at stage and decorative panels

PHASING PHASE I | Completed or Underway

PHASE IV | FRONT ENTRY

:: Play Equipment andTurf :: Storage Shed at Community Courtyard

:: :: :: :: ::

PHASE II | KEY INFRASTRUCTURE :: Relocate Pine Street Garbage Enclosure, including new walls, gates and planting :: New Walls and Gate for Pine Street mechanical enclosure :: New OakTree adjacent to relocated garbage enclosure and NewTree at Lowerline yard :: New Pedestrian Gates at Pine and Lowerline Streets :: New ‘Ball Wall’ and game line painting at Pine Street yard :: *Bridge Replacement and Expansion per NOPS/ OPSB PHASE III | SPINE AND COURTYARD A :: Spine Connection A (From new bridge to Lowerline Street) *after new bridge is complete and any scheduled painting :: New covered walkway, structure, roofs, lighting and benches :: Rain Garden :: Outdoor Classroom and Drop-off Canopy :: Community Courtyard A :: Remove existing planter, provide new corner planter near stage :: Add (2) new narrow planters for bamboo adjacent to Goldring Walkway

New decorative Main Gate New stone paving, planters and benches New lighting at front Opt. New iron fence Willow Street side of spine Opt. New Recess Field Turf and Mound

PHASE V | SPINE AND COURTYARD B :: Spine Connection B (From new bridge to Pine Street) :: New “Porch” and Covered Walkway at morning meeting area, including structure, roof, benches and tables, possible new surface material at ground :: Rain Gardens :: New Drop-off Canopy at Pine Street :: New Lighting at Walkways and Canopies :: Opt. New hardwood shading elements on Goldring walkway and lighting :: Community Courtyard B :: New Sport FieldTurf :: Possible bench seating at tree circle :: Fence along Pine Street, including taller shade element at stage :: Perimeter :: Iron Fence and new gates not already listed in projects above

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK PROCESS WORK

PAVILIONS

FENCES

WALLS

GROUND TREATMENTS

SOFT PLAY

WATER

LUSHER ELEMENTARY PLAY YARD RE-THINK RESOURCES

*HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Books

Articles/ PDF

*Asphalt to Ecosystems Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation. Sharon Gamson Danks. New Village Press. 2010.

“Shade For Kids: a Policy Primer for School Boards” (Evergreen) www. evergreen.ca/en/resources/schools/research-policy.sn

*School Yard Enhanced Learning: Using the Outdoors as an Instructional Tool, K-8 by Herbert W. Broda, Stenhouse Publisher 2007

“School Ground Greening: a policy and planning guidebook” (Evergreen) www.evergreen.ca/en/resources/schools/research-policy.sn

*Play For All Guidelines: Planning, Designing and Management of Outdoor Play Settings for All Children by Moore and Goltsman, 1992

“All Hands in the Dirt” (evergreen) www.evergreen.ca/en/resources/ schools/all-hands/

A Child’s Garden. Dannenmair, Archetype Press. 2008

“Playgrounds – risks, benefits and choices” prepared by Prof. David J. Ball/Middlesex University London for Health and Safety Executive, 2002

The Third Teacher: 79 Ways You Can Use Design to Transform Teaching & Learning. Inc. OWP/P Cannon Design, VS Furniture and Bruce Mau Design, 2010 Designing Outdoor Environments for Children by Tai, Haque, McLellan and Knight, McGraw Hill, 2006

Shaping Neighborhoods: Children and Young People’s Play and Informal Recreation SPG, 2008. www.london.gov.uk/consultation/shapingneighbourhoods-children-and-young-peoples-play-and-informalrecreation-spg

Great Kid’s Spaces by Carles Broto, Links Books, 2006 Children’s Play Spaces by Rouard and Simon, The Overland Press, 1977

Websites

Special Places, Special People: The Hidden Curriculum of School Grounds by Wendy Titman, World Wide Fund for Nature/Learning through Landscapes, 1994

www.rethinkingchildhood.com (Children and Play)

Plants for Play: A Plant Selection Guide for Children’s Outdoor Environments by Robin C. Moore, MIG Communications, 1993

www.greenschools.net

www.asphalt2ecosystems.org (Good resource for web-links and books)

www.learnscapes.org www.evergreen.ca (Canadian outdoor education resource)

Additional outdoor curriculum guides *Learning through Landscapes (British) www.ltl.org.uk National Gardening Society www.kidsgardening.org/school-gardening National Wildlife Assoc. www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/ Garden-for-Wildlife/Schoolyard-Habitats.aspx

www.playlink.org

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LUSHER CHARTER SCHOOL Kathleen Riedlinger, CEO Sheila Nelson, Principal Shawna Doremus Michael Taylor

TULANE CITY CENTER LEAD DESIGNER Marilyn Feldmeier, Advising Professor PROJECT TEAM Ian O’Cain Katherine Delacey Cameron Ringness Scott Bernhard, TCC Director Dan Etheridge, TCC Assistant Director

ADDITIONAL THANKS

Booklet Layout + Photo Credit: Marilyn Feldmeier, Ian O’Cain

Kyle Ryan Matt DeCotis Marty Cavendish Adrienne Altman Jill Dupre Ann Welsh Kiki Huston Pax Bobrow Linda Clogher Stacy Deitelzweig Therese Fitzpatrick Kevin Phayer Jan Rice Erika Zuker 29

Lusher Charter School 7315 Willow St. New Orleans, LA 70118 SPRING 2012