Arcola Community School Educational Design for the Creative Age
Entry & Identity School Identity & Community Connection: Students were actively involved in the process and were asked what Arcola meant to them. Their words were combined with into a Wordle and are engraved into the panels at the front entrance of the school.
Learning Commons The Learning Commons reads like a 3D textbook by expressing the exposed structure and building systems. Additional elements within this space provide teaching opportunities, including the living wall, Pine beetle kill glulam columns and trusses.
Learning Commons Interior elements explore themes that represent Saskatchewan geography and geology. The stairs from PLC-3 are a water-fall emptying into the river below and act as perchpoints and seating for events and assemblies.
Exterior Details 1 Horizontal louvers in front of broad expanses of south facing glass 2 Prairie grass green roof is a teaching tool and relates to the prairie grass in the landscape 3 Angled eaves block high summer sun and allow low winter light deep into the school via clerestory windows
Interior Details 1 Living wall 2 Pine beetle kill glulam columns and top chord of trusses 3 Exposed structure (concrete acts as a thermal mass) 4 Flooring, theme, represent Saskatchewan geography and geology
First of Four New Pre-K Eighth Grade Schools for the Regina Public School Board Designed in Association with Fielding Nair International (FNI) Supports the RPS Structural Innovation initiative including: flexible learning arrangements, teacher collaboration, interdisciplinary, project-based, and inquiry based teaching and learning, inclusive practice for all learners, which here includes the Visually Impaired Program.
Construction of a New Community School will Replace the Current Arcola Community School, which will be Kept Operational During Construction Site is shared with the City and includes a large easement through the site the design made use of opportunity for an elongated east-westmassing to take advantage of daylight and future expansion Designed with community involvement and many Green features SITE PLAN 1 Main Entrance 2 Existing School 3 Drop-off Zone 4 Staff Parking 5 PLC 1 & Kindergarten Play Yard 6 PLC 2 & 3 Play Area 7 Easement 8 City Ball Diamond & Landswap
Building Elevations and Orientation Long building elevations are oriented along an east-west axis to take advantage of southern sun exposure to provide passive solar heating throughout the winter months. Solar shades and deep soffits shade the interior spaces during the warmer months when the angle of the sun is greater.
Community Engagement during the Visioning Sessions held throughout the programming and conceptual design stages, in this case including presentations by FNI/P3A regarding 21st century learning. Student and Staff Involvement throughout the design process P3A and the Design Team held Sustainable Design, Architecture as a Profession, and School Design Idea sessions withgrades 3-8 as part of the design process
Meetings with Community Commitee Informs the Design A concept plan was developed through a committee of residents, parents, school representatives, design team and community stakeholders through numerous meeting over a series of months. Initial concepts and ideas were brainstormed about to think outside the box and develop a plan that would be UNIQUELY SASKATCHEWAN THEMED, serve as a teaching tool, be used 4 seasons and an amenity to the whole community.
Community Open House Informs the Future Plans for the Site Arcola Community School, the City of Regina and P3A hosted an open house to get feedback on a future plans for the site. The plan that came out of the committee meetings was presented and the public was Invited to view the plan and encouraged to give feedback on the ideas.
Structural Innovations and 21st Century Learning Student population is divided into 3 Personal Learning Communities, each with its own entry, flexiblelearningstudiosandshared commons andamenities at the heart. These support the more than 20 different learning modalities including Project based learning, smallgroup work, studentpresentations andindependentstudy. Main Floor Landscape
Learning Modalities for 21st Century Learning Learning studios are used instead of factory production style cells & bells traditional layout Makes use of collaborative areas, break out areas, outdoor connection and flexibility in the spaces to open onto each other to accommodate different sizes and styles of learning. 2nd Floor Landscape
Entry, Admin. & Community Shared Spaces 1 Entry 5 Staff and Prep. 2 Administration 6 Wet/Messy 3 Lounge 7 Nutrition 4 Gym 8 Learning Commons See Entry Elevation Entry Elevation
Learning Studios 1 Learning Commons 2 Learning Studio 3 Teacher Collab. 4 Quiet 5 PLC 2 Entry 6 da Vinci Studio
Personal Learning Community (PLC) Learning Studios - 2nd Floor 1 Separate PLC Entry 5 View Down into Gym 2 Visible Mechanical Room 6 PLC Commons Area 3 Teacher Collaboration 7 da Vinci Studio 4 Wet/Messy Work Area 8 Project Terrace (Green Roof Access)
Personal Learning Community (PLC) Identity 1 Boreal Forest: PLC-1 (Grades 1-3) 5 Aspen Parkland: Visually Impaired 2 Canadian Shield: PLC-2 (Grades 4-5) 3 Taiga: PLC-3 (Grades 6-8) 4 Grasslands: PreK-Kindergarten