Thesis Statement

Our thesis operates as a critique of the current ad hoc responses (specifically in education) to the rising need for open air spaces as seen with the outbreak of COVID-19. Our project also serves as a criticism of American High School design, which we believe to be a de-evolved typology.

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For years schools in the U.S. were being designed by the same people designing prisons, which is why it is very easy to draw parallels between the two. High Schools in the U.S. have historically placed a greater focus on security, discipline, and control, and much less focus on students’ overall physical and mental health. Our project seeks to propose an open-air high school situated in a dense urban site, where issues of open space and access to green spaces are most prevalent.
 

The thesis references the Open-Air School Movement in Europe from the early 20th century with the outbreak of Tuberculosis- an air-borne disease very similar to COVID-19. However, the design seeks to respond to healthy conditions far beyond the ongoing pandemic.
 

Learning outdoors supports creativity and problem-solving skills in students. It enhances cognitive abilities, improves academic performance, and students 'overall physical and mental health. Fresh air generally has higher levels of oxygen than indoor air, making access to fresh air extremely beneficial to the health of all the school’s occupants.
 

Our proposal looks at developing a more porous approach to designing a school that better engages with nature and its elements. We’re redefining the high school by reconceptualizing the classroom design to allow for both indoor and outdoor learning. It contains operable walls and windows that allow for cross ventilation to take place bringing fresh air into the school building throughout the day. And classrooms are designed along the SW and NW facades to make the most out of the prevailing winds available throughout the different seasons of the year.

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Our project is by no means a fully resolved final solution, but it is definitely a step in the right direction towards a healthier learning environment.