Design Concept

The main concept of my design is to create an Open Source Learning Academy that encourages students to see the connections between different interest areas and uses natural curiosity to lead them from one topic to another.

One way my project encourages the natural curiosity of students is through the use of the student cluster spaces as the connections between the main interest areas. Placing the cluster between two focused areas of interest provides a space where students interested in one area of learning can mix and share ideas with the students interested in a different topic.

Another way students are encouraged to learn through natural curiosity is through the stacking and overlapping of programmatic areas. The combination of vertical and horizontal circulation through layered clusters and interest zones causes students to pass through areas they might not initially be interested in to get to their intended destination. As they pass through other interest areas and clusters, students are exposed to ideas, projects, and people they would not normally encounter on their own. These interactions spark students’ curiosity to explore new interests they otherwise may not have considered related to their primary interest.

Layering spaces throughout my project also creates an opportunity for visual connection between clusters and interest areas. These visual connections allow students in one interest area to see the projects of students in other interest areas or clusters and become curious about the work occurring in other parts of the Open Source Learning Academy.

Form Development

The form for my project began with a study of the block typology for buildings. A block-type building fits well with my design concept to create connections between the different interest areas and clusters of my project and the courtyard in the center of the building would provide a place for students to gather outside to hang out, work on large projects, or display their completed work. Since I am focusing on the connections between students’ interests in learning, I also emphasized the physical connections at the corners of my building form. As I continue developing the project I plan to look more closely at how my building form interacts with the interior courtyard space and the surrounding site.

Site Interaction

I chose to locate my project on the valley site just off San Luis Bay Drive between San Luis Obispo and Availa Beach. Discussing my project in the context of this site brought to my attention several areas I need to address as I move forward with my design. Now that my overall concept for my project has developed, I will begin to take a closer look at how my Open Source Learning Academy interacts with the surrounding site. I specifically need to focus on where my project will be located on the site and how this will affect the location of certain programmatic elements, such as the student commons, administration, and entrance to my building.

Determining the placement and orientation of my building will also allow me to further analyze the climatic conditions of my site in relation to my project; once I have this information I will be able to look at they different types of materials and passive strategies I could use to make my design more responsive to the surrounding environment and more comfortable for the students who will be using it.