Pioneer Middle School

1. 2009 Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture Pioneer Middle School DuPont, WA Project of Distinction Middle School DLR Group

2. Pioneer Middle School • Pioneer Middle School’s design interweaves traditional curriculum, sustainable principles, and active building systems to create a school that is in itself a learning tool. • The community set three primary goals for the facility: • Connect to the particular physical, social, and emotional needs of middle school students • Create a school that serves as a community gathering space • Provide a sustainable environment for students, staff, faculty, and community members

3. Ring the Bell Public entrance Community Environment: Community members are greeted right away with the school’s historic bell, now displayed prominently at the south public entrance of this replacement school. Three primary shared-use spaces align along the building spine to create a distinct spatial experience of mind, body and spirit as users move through the building. The cafeteria and performance area (signifying spirit) fronts the entry, with extensive glazing providing visual connection to the natural bounty outside. The fitness center and gymnasium (signifying body) occupy the axis’s other terminus. Called the Tree of Knowledge, the library (signifying mind) is connected to the building’s second level, hovering like a treehouse over an open social commons space at the heart of the school. A north/south spine zones the school into community space on the east side and educational space on the west, allowing for distinct community/learning functionality as appropriate. More than one third of the building is programmed for community use.

4. Interactive Touchscreen Green touchscreen Community Environment: A priority of the district was to educate students, staff, and the community about energy conservation, specifically the impact of routine activities and individual habits on energy use. The design solution is an interactive energy measuring device that provides students with water, gas and electricity data, as well as past/present weather information. This “green touchscreen” is prominently positioned at the main public entrance. A network of energy sensors throughout the building streams constant energy consumption data to the touchscreen display that is accessible by students, staff, and visitors. This data is readily accessible at all authorized computers throughout the school. Teachers brainstormed ideas of how to use the device to enhance their individual lesson plans. After an initial meeting to discuss the touchscreen, designers coordinated two webcast sessions between the manufacturer and Pioneer Middle School educators to finalize design plans for the tool.

5. Education is Everywhere Commons with planetary orbit ring radiuses inlaid into the floor Learning Environment: The project team took collaboration to the next level by working with educators over a span of eight months to develop specific means to incorporate the Pioneer Middle School building as a tool in the educational experience. This approach resulted in numerous design decisions that allow education to extend outside of the classroom, moving throughout the building and onto the site itself, including: principles of reflection and refraction, using the school’s prismatic skylights as an exhibit; planetary orbits and ring radiuses, using a scale pattern inlaid into the floor; mathematics, using exposed structure and building planes as exhibits; mathematics of acoustics, using the music room “Students seem to really appreciate and value their new school. And as teachers have become familiar with the building, they are using specific building features and spaces as an integral part of their lessons, which is engaging students in new ways of learning.” -- Kristi Webster, Pioneer Middle School Principal

6. The Great Outdoors Herb garden Learning Environment: Outdoor learning courtyards adjacent to the classrooms allow students to monitor plant growth and rainfall, and explore composting concepts. Teachers enhanced the courtyard idea by providing a plant list for the garden they could incorporate into their dissection curriculum. In collaboration with landscape architect Aspen Design Group, the design team created a working garden and a world history herb garden for science and food-lab instructors. The herb garden is divided into sections representing different eras and the herbs that would have been prevalent during that era. The Renaissance and Age of Discovery herbs include chives and parsley, while the Eastern Asia and Pacific garden includes bronze fennel and ginseng. “We get a lot more ‘a-ha’ moments because we can physically point to elements in the building and relate that back to our lesson. Students are more excited when they can actually see up close and personal the lesson teachers are trying to explain.” --Laura Lowe, Pioneer Middle School teacher

7. A Sign of the Times Composting sign on display Learning Environment: Graphic interior and exterior signage highlights sustainable features as well as various building design and construction features to enhance middle school curricula. In addition to exhibiting educational materials aligned with curriculum, the signage demonstrates how the design reduces the building’s environmental impact and how students can further engage in sustainable practices. Visitors and students can learn how local resources were used to build their facility; ways they can recycle and reuse everyday products; educational performance and personal benefits of natural daylighting; how to reduce waste through composting; and more. The signage is interchangeable, allowing instructors to change content over time to meet their evolving curriculum needs. “In science we study the diversity of life, so we wanted to incorporate diverse natural features in their habitat. I asked for signage explaining the features and why they are important.” --Laura Lowe, Pioneer Middle School teacher

8. Environmentally-Friendly Facility Skylights outside library Physical Environment - Pioneer Middle School incorporates sustainable design measures at every level, including: A comprehensive energy management control system Efficient daylighting through skylights, blinds, sunshades HVAC sensors at operable windows Lighting occupancy sensors Use of local, recycled, and rapidly renewable materials Low-emitting materials and increased ventilation beyond code Significant planting and shading to reduce heat island effect Reduced outdoor water use with controlled drip irrigation Drought tolerant plants Rain garden and infiltration ponds Minimized on-site p These measures add up to a bright, fresh, healthy learning environment.

9. Alternative Transportation Bike lanes Physical Environment: The project site’s southwest corner is forested in part with Washington State’s oldest grove of Garry Oaks and their surrounding savannah. Preservation of these trees became paramount during site development, and they further provided inspiration for the building’s design. By placing the school adjacent to savannah with the main entry fronting the oaks, the community’s experience of the school is tied to these trees, and a “green” experience of the site. The parking lot is a prime example of creative means to reduce pollution and improve air quality at Pioneer Middle School. On-site parking is minimized to support alternative transportation such as pedestrian and bike access, school bussing and public transportation. Special parking is assigned for carpool and alternative fuel vehicles.

10. Communication = Success Small group collaboration areas Planning Process: DLR Group led six design workshops, including an eco-charrette, with the school district and patrons to develop design goals and an integrated sustainable design program. DLR Group and Pioneer staff communicated regularly about the building design and curriculum, with each correspondence advancing the building as a learning tool concept. “The design didn’t happen in one pow wow because one meeting was not enough time to tackle all of the issues and curriculum elements we wanted included in the building.” --Laura Lowe, Pioneer Middle School teacher

11. Sustainable Grant Entrance to library Planning Process: When designers were well into the Contract Documents phase, potential supplement funding grants became available for a wide range of projects as part of the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol (WSSP) program, which is a continuation of the State’s commitment to developing sustainability in schools. The $350,000 grant allowed designers to collaborate with the district to incorporate a much higher level of sustainable design elements in the site, water, materials, energy, and indoor environmental quality than originally anticipated. The catch for the design team was working with the staff to find creative ideas that could be implemented late in the project design. In November 2006 the district identified a team of two teachers and the Principal to strategize implementation of a new curriculum at Pioneer Middle School, which supports sixth, seventh and eighth grade levels. “At first there was a flurry of activity to figure out how to integrate the design into our curriculum. The design process was already underway, but after the grant was received, DLR Group needed input from the teachers and staff on ways to modify their plans to meet qualifications of the grant.” --Laura Lowe, Pioneer Middle School teacher

12. Design Flow Cafeteria Planning Process: Multiple brainstorming meetings were critical to the success of the final design. By extending the design process over several months, DLR Group was able to digest and research exactly what teachers were asking to be implemented in the design. Construction was completed in August 2008, just in time to welcome students for fall classes. Prior to the start of the school year, DLR Group once again organized a group meeting to train teachers and all school staff on the rationale behind the design of the new building. Rather than lecturing the staff on the actual building systems, designers walked teachers and staff through the design process and how it affects the curriculum. “Teachers and staff were excited about the opportunity to work so closely with the designers. The district offered ideas to DLR Group, and after evaluation, the designers responded with new or slightly expanded ideas. We had a lot of back and forth communication, which in the end really solidified the school as a great learning tool.” --Laura Lowe, Pioneer Middle School teacher

13. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2009 Project Data

14. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2009 Project Details

15. Tree of Knowledge Library The surrounding savannah of Garry Oak trees were inspiration for the design of the library. This space, nicknamed the “tree of knowledge” resembles a modern tree house. Materials such as stained glulams, plywood walls and various shades of green fabrics and wall coverings create a very relaxing and natural atmosphere inside the tree of knowledge. The library, as seen from the second floor spine, is truly a lesson in geometry. Both walls and the underside of the commons ceiling are sloped at different angles.