Page 38 - School Planning & Management, April 2017

Building Blueprints { FACILITIES IN FOCUS }
Learning Landscape Benefits S.T.E.A.M. Education THE CHILDREN’S CENTER AT CALTECH REFLECTS LOCAL ECOLOGY.
THE LEED-GOLD-certified Children’s Center at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif., cultivates qualities of curiosity and inquiry through the integra- tion of S.T.E.A.M. (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) into the daily
life of children. We designed
the architecture, interiors and
landscape as a microcosm of
the surrounding ecology with the intent to il- lustrate natural processes and teach students about active and passive systems of environ- mental conservation. By promoting under- standing of the site’s sustainable systems, the center — which hosts 128 students aged six months to six years — became a central part of the school’s curriculum.
by JENNIFER SCHAB, AIA, LEED-AP Rather than create a single, large build-
ing that would have overwhelmed the sur- rounding area’s residential character, three smaller, residential-scaled buildings total- ing 12,000 square feet were designed. Roof
slopes that change direction further break down the scale of these forms, mak- ing them more welcoming for small children. Long- span construction allowed
for column-free classrooms and maximum flexibility of space.
All of the buildings take advantage
of the efficiencies offered by modular construction through the use of pre- manufactured wood trusses. Maintaining similar spans and slopes allowed for repeti- tive, cost-effective construction. And, by
remaining exposed, the trusses, mechani- cal systems, and lighting also contribute to the project’s didactic nature by allowing students to observe many of the building’s inner workings.
At the heart of the 81,000-square-foot site lies the arroyo, a dry streambed carved into the site’s sloping contours. The arroyo is designed to support and expand the school’s educational mission of encourag- ing children to play, explore, discover and engage with the world. Filled with local granite, native grasses, bugs, birds and liz- ards, the arroyo acts as a bioswale, filtering and dispersing rainwater collected onsite and stored in large cisterns.
Also collected from rooftops, rainwa- ter provides a natural irrigation source for gardening. This water also enables the
38 SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / APRIL 2017
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LANDSCAPES/ OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACES
PHOTOS BY JOHN ELLIS, COURTESY OF RIOS CLEMENTE HALE STUDIOS