CATALYST

"The essence of this learning environment is to always bring the efforts back together to drive progress and innovation."

The Home Base

Exploration Spaces

CROSSING PATHS

ELEVATED LEARNING

The Open Source Learning Academy aims to be a model for 21st Century education, moving past the older models that emphasized a rigid education system based on test results and linear progression. We began the quarter heavily analyzing our current high schools, and read about various education systems. Then we worked in pairs to make game boards that would simultaneously draw out ideas for school planning, while imagining these new spaces through simple renderings and diagrams. Once we situated the school on our site, we worked through physical modeling in the form of mass and glass models, while analyzing the daylighting and energy efficiency using Climate Consultant and Sefaira. Prior to our midterm review, we focused heavily on general spatial ideas that can support our learning concepts. I found that a balance between usable outdoor spaces and large, open, interior spaces would allow for a multitude of activities. In addition to the regular classrooms and labs, our school includes interest areas for culinary, media, industrial, and organizational design. These interest areas would bring hands on opportunities for innovation for students, and would require certain design criteria. After our mid review, our studio took a trip to San Diego to meet with firms and visit innovative schools. This trip brought much needed inspiration to my project, and reinvigorated my drive. Ultimately, I created a learning space that encourages collaboration by bringing people together, and providing break-off spaces that maintain a direct connection to a large atrium that centers the interest areas and classrooms.

Process