Page 22 - School Planning & Management, May 2017

Results: Cases in Point
The Ronald E. McNair Middle School, located in Fulton County, Ga., was Fulton County Schools’ first ex- ample of a reimagined facility based on the principles of Immersive Learn- ing spaces.
Based on a prototype originally designed by Stevens & Wilkinson in 1998, the school formerly had three separate wings for sixth, sev- enth and eighth grade core instruc- tion. Each grade had self-contained classrooms and labs flanking a tradi- tional circulation corridor.
By introducing Immersive Learn- ing design and further developing ideas originally presented in the 2012 charrette, Stevens & Wilkin- son and Immersive Learning de- sign consultant Little Diversified transformed the conventional wing
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design into the concept of “neighborhoods.”
Individual classrooms and science labs in each wing were reconfigured
into three distinct yet interconnected neighborhoods, also known as learning communities. “The neighborhood concept is successful because there is a social aspect to it,” Marchisen says. “A neighborhood has a more open feel without all of the doors of more conventional classroom design, but is totally different from the open plan designs popular in the 1970s.”
The redesign allows teachers to interact with more than one class at a time, evoking a greater sense of community and communication be- tween learning areas. Students can remain in their neighborhoods for the better part of a school day, freely circulating between productive spaces designed for class, labs and teamwork.
The neighborhood includes four connected classroom areas and a workshop / lab, along with a series of adjoining spaces for individual study, small group study, and a tiered lecture space. In addition, a centrally lo- cated teacher planning area is within the neighborhood.
The outcome of this effective Immersive Learning design has proven so positive for McNair Middle School, the same design principles were devel- oped for a series of middle school additions in a separate part of the county.
Bright colors, natural light and attention to acoustics and indoor air quality contribute to Immersive Learning Environment schools, with the goal of serving as places of joy and well being for teachers and stu- dents. Students are happier being able to work in group settings or self- sufficiently as an alternative to former confines.
As observed by Luqman Abdur-Raman, principal at McNair Middle School, “Students benefit from understanding that in real-world problem solving, it is not only about lecture or group work; it is also about coming together to present and share ideas.”
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22 ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATIONS
MAY 2017 / WEBSPM.COM