Final Reviews

An Introspective Learning Community

Site Analysis

We began by studying our site at the corner of Wabash and Van Buren in the heart of the South Loop of Chicago. We analyzed the shadow and light on our site by building a model in Digital Project that treated the shadows as three-dimensional forms. We studied the conditions during the school day on the summer and winter solstice in order to understand the extremes of light and shadow on our site. Through this analysis we realized that light is especially scarce during the morning and afternoon. We cut plans and sections of our shadow model to understand the varying qualities of light across the site. This allowed us to place program according to the light requirements of each program type. For example, we placed the auditorium on the west side of the site because it is the darkest location due to the shadows of the CNA building and the other taller buildings surrounding our site. We placed the gym on the north side of the site, because this is also a location which does not receive much light. We felt it was important for the art, science and music rooms to have indirect northern light so these are located at the north side of the south building. The dining hall is on the east side in order to receive diffused light.

Four Buildings, One School
We designed our school as four separate buildings to recreate the urban environment on a smaller, more manageable scale. As a result our building educates students on how to live in the city. Students are required to travel vertically within each building, similar to the way a city requires its inhabitants to reach interior spaces. Four buildings surround a central atrium which serves as the playground and a place for all of the students to interact. We considered a day in the life of a sixth grader as a way to present the various other students a child might encounter during the school day. In the morning, all of the students enter the ground level circulation space and filter up into their respective buildings and their individual classrooms. Here in the community circulation space all of the grades cross paths with one another. Upon entering his school, the sixth grader might encounter 5th, 7th, and 8th graders. Around noon, he would leave his sixth grade classroom to eat lunch in the dining hall with 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Then he would attend recess in the courtyard with 5th and 6th graders. Then they would travel back to their classrooms and later exit the school through the ground floor circulation at the end of the day, again having the opportunity to interact with all grade levels.

Unifying through Form
The atrium of our building encloses the learning community and physically connects all four buildings. The form of our atrium reflects our experiments in fluidity and part to whole relationship of the individual buildings and the school. We used digital project as a tool to create flexible connections and a more fluid overall form. The atrium also shows our ideas about light by flattening toward the south end to receive more light and folding more on the north end; reaching up for light.

Responding to Light Conditions
Our design uses height differences to optimize the quality and quantity of light according to program needs. The north building is the tallest to reach up for light since this an area with dense shadows. The south building is the lowest in order to receive light without shading the rest of the building. We based the heights of the east and west buildings on our shadow analysis, so the west building is taller to extend past the shadows of the CNA building. We used curves to create an even distribution of quantity and quality of light throughout the day in the classrooms. This way we were able to treat the classrooms equally with regard to light. The terraces line up on the north side and peel away at rotating angles to bring more light into the classrooms and open up the middle of the building. These terraces provide opportunities for skylights at the top of the terraces and possible occupiable spaces adjoining the classrooms.

Early Study Models
We experimented with rhino in order to find ways our building could step back for light and achieve terracing without using rectangular blocks. These studies helped us understand the sheer volume of program. Next we explored a diagrammatic method of creating four buildings and a central courtyard by using cones in digital project. These cones were guided by several sketches of overlapping circles. We used curve commands in digital project to connect these cones fluidly into one form. Although the circles did not provide opportunities for quality program spaces, we decided to use a larger radius for the curves. In Rhino we constructed terraces and filled the interior of the classroom bands with shared program. We also capped each building with shared program. We created further study models using horizontal circulation before deciding that this method of circulation would not be very useful or economical. Our work culminated with an urban inspired model using vertical circulation to mimic the movement within the city.

Response 1
-The interior courtyards in our project were under appreciated. Vivian pointed out that capping them with shared program blocks light from these courtyards.
-We don't have to engage the building to the north of our site.
- We should engage the "L", although Danielle and I wanted to use the circulation as a buffer from the "L". We discussed the idea of switching the stairs from level to level.
- Create "erasable" boundaries of shared program on the ground floor.
-Consider reflected light, and re-analyze the light within our building as we initally analyzed the light on our site.
-Glen mentioned that we should have an entry level to playground connection.
-We could work in section more, for example allow the space overlooking the gym to be opened up.
-Show how lively the atrium is.
-Work on designing the courtyard space.
-Level 0 is very dark, perhaps pierce the courtyard to allow light to enter this circulation space.
-Inhabit the atrium skin.

Response 2
-Can form change the program?
-Make the schools respond to the atrium. What is the interaction in this space? The void should be at a human scale.
-Could the building have connections across the atrium for a more spatial experience and allow the children to explore. Appeal to the children's curiosity. Danielle and I avoided this because we felt that it would create a mall-like feel within the building which we thought didn't fit well with the goals of our school.
-Reconsider the unprogrammed collective spaces
-Auditorium could take advantage of terracing
-Re-engage the city
-Design the courtyard space, allow it to influence the form of the classrooms.
-There needs to be a better reason for raising the atrium up one level above the ground.
-We discussed both the "gold" digital project model and our current design. I agreed with Craig's comments that although we like the aesthetic of the gold model, there are no classrooms in it and there are problems with it that don't exist in our current model. He said that the gold model is not necessarily a better building. The current design has positive qualities that are not in the gold model, for example the interior courtyards within the east and west buildings. We felt that we can't really compare our building to the gold model since it is only a diagramatic study and its geometry did not work in plan.