Contract - March 2011 - (Page 40)

design Americans could attend—suﬀered wind damage, had deteriorated badly over the years, and was too small to accommodate its current and projected student body. But thanks to a committed alumni and neighborhood advocacy group, the 236,000-sq.- . school was rebuilt on its original site and now incorporates 50 percent more space than the old school. Working with SHW, a Texas-based architecture ﬁrm specializing in education design, and program manager CSRS, Inc., Eskew+Dumez+Ripple designed the new school to meet the criteria of the Louisiana Recove School District, which mandated contempora standards for education planning and LEED Silver status for all schools. It also was designed with input from civic leaders to function as a community resource. “Beyond all of the curriculum components of the design, the community also wanted two gyms—one for competition and another for practice—as well as a health clinic and media center that would function as community resources a er hours,” says architect Steve Dumez. As a result, in addition to expanded, up-to-date classroom spaces, the school now houses two new gymnasiums (one 1,000-seat, competition-size space and another 250-seat auxilia gym); a 650-seat auditorium; a spacious cafeteria; performing arts spaces for dance, choir, and band rehearsal; and a black box theater, as well as a community health center and new public media space, both of which oﬀer a er-school access to the general public. “The community was extremely supportive of Land being rebuilt,” says Siona LaFrance, chief of staﬀ for the Recove School District. “Designed with the idea that parts of it would be accessible and available to the community, including the health clinic and recreational and performance space, it is considered a real asset to the community.” To improve on the plan of the original two-sto school, which was designed around a courtyard and closed on all four sides, the architects opted to preserve the original courtyard (including a ve old magnolia Digitally printed wallpaper surrounding the central stair (above) features inspiring quotes by prominent African Americans. Perforated metal panels in the ceiling of the Main Street area (below) conceal security monitors, intercom, lighting, and ﬁre protection systems. Floors are made of terrazzo similar to the ﬂoor in the original 1938 building. The cafeteria area to the le can also serve as an assembly space. The school has two new gymnasiums: one 1,000seat competition-size space (opposite top le ) and another 250-seat auxilia gym. A 650seat auditorium (opposite top right) is warmed with perforated cher acoustic panels on the ceiling and durable Trespa wall panels. Media center windows (opposite bottom) maximize access to daylight and courtyard views. 40 40 contract july/august 2010 contract march 2011 www.contractdesign.com http://www.contractdesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - March 2011

Contract - March 2011
Contents
Editor’s Note
Industry
Resources: Design Collaborations
Focus: This Little Light of Mine
Practice: Global Consensus
Green: Thinking Inside the Box
Poetry Lessons
Community Asset
Book Light
Reel Genius
Fresh Start
A Tree Saved in Brooklyn
Designers Rate: Guest Seating
Sources
Ad Index
Perspectives

Contract - March 2011