By James Britt, Elizabeth Erbes, Julie Rosin and Bill Good

Transcription

1 connecting students, creating futures at central campus By James Britt, Elizabeth Erbes, Julie Rosin and Bill Good Central Campus... evolving as a 21st century educational environment... connecting students to students, teachers, and community members... creating futures for the next generation. The regional academy concept was developed to provide unique educational opportunities in an economically and academically efficient environment. Des Moines is an urban community located in the heart of Iowa. Des Moines Public Schools serves 32,000 students in a system with 62 buildings, including Central Campus a Regional Academy. Central Campus is housed in four buildings, including the main campus at 1800 Grand located on the western edge of downtown Des Moines. As a regional academy, the building serves over 3000 students in a K-12 setting, including elementary and middle schools, and high school programs in Career and Technical Education, English Language Learners, and Future Pathways, a program for students at risk of dropping out. World Language and advanced academic programs are located at the Central Academy building, adjacent to the Grand building. The regional academy concept was developed to provide unique educational opportunities in an economically and academically efficient environment. The building at 1800 Grand was built in 1916 as a Ford Motor Company factory which produced Model Ts, one of which is displayed in the entrance to the facility. The building is six stories tall, 120 feet wide and 450 feet long. Most floors are 12 feet, 8 inches tall, with some even taller at 16 feet, 8 inches. The concrete frame building has two-way concrete slab floors, 10 inches thick and 244 windows, most of which are 9 feet tall and 21 feet long. The building was acquired by the school district in 1952 and remodeled to include an Des Moines Public Schools Central Campus 5 EDUCATIONAL FACILITY PLANNER VOLUME 46 ISSUE 2

2 innovative educational delivery auditorium, gymnasium, practice gymnasium and pool. At that time the school served as a comprehensive technical high school. In 2008 the school district dedicated resources to update the facility. RDG Planning & Design was selected to work with school personnel to identify opportunities for facility upgrades and maximize program space allocation. There were significant challenges involved in the renovation of this 450,000 SF building that includes K-12 education, libraries, a cafeteria, a wellness center and the district school board room. The greatest challenge in developing the Master Plan was to phase the construction process to allow for teaching and learning during the entire remodel of the facility. The building exterior required extensive structural and architectural repairs to the existing concrete and masonry. Energy efficient windows and other exterior changes transformed the building from one that appeared to be a tired factory to a contemporary facility that welcomes students to a unique learning environment. Updating the mechanical system was challenging. The boiler, located in the sub-basement, would be replaced with energy efficient mini-boilers on each level to better respond to floor by floor needs, yet would need to remain operational until the completion of the last phase. Two new fire stairs were built to provide updated, code-compliant exiting and travel throughout the building. Life safety issues and building maintenance concerns were addressed. Code updates required an increase in the exiting width. Establishing mechanical and restroom cores from floor to floor assisted with organizing compatible space on each floor. show that showcases student work that has been judged by community partners. Visitors are welcomed to the exhibit held in the open corridor complete with a live student band and refreshments. Marine Biology Design challenges in marine biology included a gravity fed saltwater system for the aquariums, a salt water environment, display areas for a marine wildlife collection, and appropriate environments to support species specific temperature and lighting requirements. Locating the large ray tank along the corridor wall, surrounded by large windows, allows visitors the opportunity to see learning in action. This collegiate level facility includes two classrooms, two science labs and a 3000 sf aquarium space that holds 15,000 gallons of salt water sea life. It is home to 110 tanks, four coral troughs, a shark tank, a ray tank, a brood stock room and a jellyfish propagation system all being monitored and maintained by over 100 students and three staff. Students choosing this program of study do so because they are fascinated by marine life and intrigued by the opportunity to work with tropical animals. Students also learn to SCUBA dive, build their own ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), and manage salt water systems. They breed fish and learn technical system maintenance. The signature learning experience occurs each year over spring break when students, staff and volunteers pack their bags, wetsuits and the dining truck for a two week Ecology trip to the Florida Keys. The interior space planning was driven by the needs of the career programs located within. The Ford Factory had been retrofitted to accommodate a school. Now it was time to design space for 21st Century learning including academic and technical skills. It was time for learning to drive space. This required accommodating spaces ranging from 50 sf dressing rooms to 10,000 sf automotive labs, all within the existing structure. Twenty nine career programs are organized into eight career clusters at Central Campus. The clusters were organized into suites of learning classrooms and adjacent, appropriate laboratory spaces. This positioning allowed for instructor and student collaboration within and between programs. For example, the Communication Media cluster included Broadcasting and Film, Commercial Photography and Graphic Communication. Positioning these programs adjacent to one another allows students to develop projects together and produce the annual student Art Show, using the spaces within classrooms and corridors for display of student art. Hundreds of visitors attend this opening art Marine Biology Aquarium Lab 6 EDUCATIONAL FACILITY PLANNER VOLUME 46 ISSUE 2

3 Cargill Teaching Kitchen Culinary Arts Spaces designed for the culinary arts program include the Café Kitchen, the Teaching Kitchen, the Demonstration Classroom, Workroom, lockers, storage and the heart of the program the Campus Café. Another program in need of space that would benefit from this particular location was the Des Moines Community School District board room. The decision was made to combine these two uses. The actual solution involved creating a flexible moving partition that allows a Café environment in which lunch is served at noon to be transformed into a large public board room complete with dais and broadcasting facilities for the district to conduct meetings that same evening. The award winning Culinary Arts program prepares students for employment in the hospitality and food service industry through the operation of the student-run Campus Café. Students plan, prepare and serve lunch to community patrons. Students earn industry certification from Pro- Start and are eligible for scholarships. Students develop leadership skills through involvement in FCCLA and Skills USA student organizations including state and national competitions. While culinary students love to cook, they also actively participate in school and community service activities. The Culinary Arts program partners with over twenty local chefs who serve as mentors, guest speakers and judges for internal competitions. The Iowa Food Core supported a Community Garden Lunch for Café patrons with local Central Iowa food products another indicator of our Green Ribbon school award. In addition to business partners, parents are also essential to the success of programs. Matt s dad was so impressed with the skills and direction his son gained; he facilitated an $111,000 grant from Cargill to fund the new Cargill Teaching Kitchen in the remodeled space. Broadcasting and Film Broadcasting and film occupies a large space in the remodeled facility. Students work in sound rooms, broadcasting studios, a classroom, a computer lab, meeting rooms, makeup rooms and a television studio complete with a green screen. Within these facilities, students are able to learn about the various jobs involved in producing both radio and television programs. It s an exciting visual space to work within, a place rich in technology. Producing a daily radio show and creating films for local nonprofit organizations provides Broadcasting and Film students on the job training and resume building experiences. KDPS may be the only central Iowa radio station that changes format every 90 minutes, depending on the preferences of the student DJs in charge of designing the program for the current block. Students also must know and abide by FCC regulations when designing their on-air programs. 7 EDUCATIONAL FACILITY PLANNER VOLUME 46 ISSUE 2

4 innovative educational delivery Early Childhood Careers Upon entering the Downtown School children are greeted by the Tree of Knowledge, a sculptural art piece they had a part in creating. The school is comprised of nine learning centers, each approximately 2000 sf. Cubbies, restrooms and wet areas are located within the learning centers. The learning centers are connected internally or can be accessed from the main circulation corridors. Supporting spaces include a library, staff support areas, reception, healthy, workroom, team conference rooms and a culminating activity space. Presentations, portfolio reviews and creative drama/play are all forms of culmination of learning that take place in the culminating activity area. KDPS Radio Station Students who want to work with young children have the opportunity to explore careers in early childhood education thanks to the ECC program at Central Campus. The addition of the innovative kindergarten through grade five Downtown School to the Central Campus facility provided the perfect laboratory for the Early Childhood Careers program. The ECC program is located adjacent to the Downtown School providing opportunities for observations, student internships with classroom teachers, and volunteering. ECC students are a short walk away from another downtown elementary school, where they serve as reading buddies and create classroom lessons. The proximity to downtown provides access to world-class resources and is an invaluable asset for many programs at Central Campus. Fashion Design and Merchandising Design considerations for Fashion Design and Merchandising included positioning the facility to capture north daylight and creating a retail/industrial environment. The instructor was very thoughtful in all considerations which allowed rethinking the traditional sewing labs. A retain storefront became part of the entrance, not just for display, but for the learning opportunities it provides in merchandising and lighting. For an industrial, yet refined look and feel, unistrut became a common material used throughout the building, as well as diamond plate panels and exposed steel fasteners. Cutting tables were designed to serve as instructional tables, and provide open storage shelving. Additional program support for fashion included dressing rooms, and fabric dying facilities. Tree of Knowledge Teamwork is an essential skill for the 21st Century worker. The annual Fashion Show is the culminating assessment for the Fashion Design and Merchandising program at Central Campus, but this couldn t happen without TEAMWORK from several Central Campus 8 EDUCATIONAL FACILITY PLANNER VOLUME 46 ISSUE 2

5 Fashion Design & Merchandising Sewing Lab programs. Fashion students study all things related to the fashion industry textiles, color, promotion, buying, pricing, display, advertising, designers and trends. They create drawings, analyze designs and create a personal collection that is showcased in an end of year Fashion Show produced by students in a variety of programs. Broadcasting and Film students create the video, assist with production, including lights, music and taping. Home building students design the set and build the runway. Graphic Communication students create various themes early in January one is selected and the student works with the client to transform the image into posters, invitations, programs and t-shirts. Commercial Photography students take photos and culinary students prepare lunch during the busy rehearsal days. The show presents fashions designed and created by students. Students create Urban Wear, Evening Wear, Children s Wear, Lounge Wear and Avant Guard wearable art, which is also on display at the Art Show. Each senior produces a Collection that is modeled by students, judged by professionals for Best of in a variety of categories. Former students return to help with the production including, lights, sound and modeling. A practicing professional designer and former student is featured in the show. The production is a Central Campus event, showcasing student talent and teamwork. About James Britt James Britt, AIA is an architect with RDG Planning & Design in Des Moines, Iowa and has been involved with the design of education facilities throughout his career including pre-school, elementary and high school facilities. James has been involved with the master-planning of Central Campus as project architect of the five subsequent design and construction phases. About Elizabeth Erbes As a former educator, Elizabeth Erbes brings a unique perspective to her role as an architect for RDG Planning & Design of Des Moines, Iowa. Her involvement in the firm s K- 12 Focus Market has included the programming and design of many elementary, middle and high school facilities throughout the state. Her various recognitions include the AIA Graduate Medal Award, the Shirey Design Award and the State of Iowa Governor s Volunteer Award. Elizabeth has been involved with the education programming and design of Central Campus. About Julie Rosin Julie Rosin is the assistant director of Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Education and certification in Educational Administration. Julie taught at the middle and high school levels and served as district curriculum administrator. She currently provides leadership for 28 college level career and technical programs for over 1200 high school students, and a Middle Years Programme International Baccalaureate candidate school for 300 students. She also provides professional development for 130 educators and manages students, grants, budgets and school activities. About Bill Good Bill Good, Des Moines Public Schools 9 EDUCATIONAL FACILITY PLANNER VOLUME 46 ISSUE 2