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Forest Elementary School
Goals and Visions: Through special state legislation, the Robbinsdale School District received limited funds to demolish the old, asbestos-ridden Forest Elementary School and build a new Forest Elementary School on the existing site, thereby saving the culture of the older neighborhood. The Robbinsdale School District asked that the new Forest Elementary School be an innovative, cost-effective, high-performance building built on the existing site to blend in with its residential neighborhood. The result is a warm, inviting and healthy learning environment and a source of pride for the community. Educational Needs/Program: The building has a very compact plan with simple and clear circulation, which is reinforced with the directional floor and wall patterns to help young students with way-finding. The scale of the building reflects the character and blends seamlessly into the existing residential neighborhood. The building consists of several smaller “buildings” connected at the core to minimize its scale. The exterior is articulated by playful, 2-color brick patterns, ample glass windows with a variety of functional heights and sizes and bright, visible entries. Planning Process: A participatory planning process was used in the design phase to fully understand the needs for the new elementary school. This process involved multiple meetings with the school’s user groups with the goal of matching the design to the curriculum. With this process the design was custom-fit to the district’s curriculum and philosophies and helped to determine the layout for the different grades. From the beginning of the process, mechanical, electrical and technology were considered in the design to create energy efficiency, security, and flexibility. Special care was taken to consider how to blend the facility in with an urban, residential neighborhood. Challenges and Solutions: The construction process requirements for the new Forest Elementary School provide for less dust particulates in ductwork and on surfaces. The contract documents required daily cleaning to keep dust to a minimum. Negative air machines were utilized to keep particulates out of the areas not under construction. Daily vacuuming of finished areas was done with hepa-rated vacuums to assure low level particulates numbers. Strict adherence to manufacturer recommendations for roofing, windows, and building insulation provided assurance that water migration into the building did not occur. Unique Features/Innovations: The Media Center is centrally located in the ‘heart’ of the building, easily accessible by all students. It is a warm and inviting space that fosters quiet, study and contemplation under the “tree of learning” - a wood sculptural piece that is a metaphor for a tree, that visually supports with its branches the large skylight above. Cozy seating under the tree is a great place for young or old to sit, read, contemplate looking up to the sky, playful reflections and shadows from the tree. The beautiful two-station community gym with a regulation basketball court is a result of the successful cooperation with the City of Crystal. It is located near the main entry, supported by additional storage and toilets, and is set deep into the one-story portion of the building to minimize the visual appearance of its two-story height. Yet, the gym is a beacon for nightly community activities as its high windows glow with light. Site Considerations: Since Forest Elementary is a replacement school in an urban neighborhood, the site required a design that would utilize existing athletic fields and storm water ponds. A bus drop-off loop at the student entry and staff/community drop-off and parking were located at opposite sides of the building for safety and security reasons. Massed trees in tight growth were planted as a screen and to bring down the scale of the building in this urban, residential neighborhood. Material Choices: The building maintenance, as it relates to student health, was an important planning element. Easily cleaned and durable finishes were placed in the high traffic areas. For example, terrazzo floors provide low porosity and easily cleanable surfaces in main corridors, locker commons, lunch room, etc. Ground concrete masonry units (burnished block) provide durable, yet easily maintainable surfaces in main corridors. Low dust, high impact resistant acoustical ceiling tile provides low particulate levels and easily maintained surfaces. Clean-ability of classrooms was maximized through the use of hard surfaces on floors. Acoustical needs were met by providing NRC acoustical ceiling tile. Safety and Security: Ample exterior pedestrian lights support the site circulation design and enhance the safety and beauty of the school at night. Separate car and bus accesses also provide safety for the students arriving and leaving the school. Separate, secure entries are provided for community use of the media center and gymnasium. Environmental Considerations: The building utilized an interdisciplinary approach to maximize energy conservation and provide the best possible learning environment for students. Natural light and light harvesting was designed whereby windows were located at key student/user locations to ensure natural light for individual physical and mental health. Classroom windows were designed to maximize the daylight, without having to utilize costly light shelf systems. High windows distribute light to the back of the classroom, while long windows provide view and psychological relief from interior space. Light level sensors on light fixtures, located close to exterior windows, turn on and off as outside light levels fluctuate. Mechanical system response and personal comfort was accomplished through the use of occupant sensors that adjust ventilation based on the room utilization. Occupancy sensors control lighting operation based on use. Carbon dioxide sensors monitor levels of CO2 and adjust ventilation levels accordingly. Displacement ventilation provides natural convection ventilation, which lifts fewer particulates into the air stream. Low ventilation air velocity displacement keeps mechanical noise at a minimum to respect classroom acoustics. Facility’s Response to Various Teaching and Learning Styles: The school was designed to facilitate traditional and non-traditional learning styles. Flexible team learning areas (FTLA) are throughout the building to provide different educational settings for student comfort and creativity. A student performance area is in a corner in the cafeteria with a canopy, can lights, a curtain and floor banding to identify an informal stage. Aesthetically, the school is a beautiful space, helping students to develop their aesthetic sense, with interesting things to look at and explore, and a lot of fun student-scale details, bright colors, finishes and textures to enhance the student’s daily activities. Project Description:
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