growing

lA arts school

AWARD| 1st place MASS Graphics Studio design Competition

location| Los Angeles, California

typology| education

CLIENT| Hauser & Wirth . Hasso Plattner Institute of Design

PROJECT GOALS| The clients aim to create an Open Design School for grades 9 through 12. Their concept of education will offer concentrated creative design programs that are designed to be: experimental, student-centered, team-taught, and all based on real-world projects. The school will be a vital part of artistic & technological collaboration in the community, and a facilitator of various community educational programs.

The intention is to create an atmosphere of visual connection. Derived from exploration into the patterns of growth, the form came from the study of negative space. A seed sprouts from its shell the roots extend as the stock rises. The central stairena space houses the void that serves as the seed, as depicted in the diagram above. The voids created by the program spaces depict the root connections. This idea of visual reach was inspired by the “radical collaboration” that is nourished as an essential ideal of the D-School. The purpose for the school is to act as solid ground for students. Nourishing and supporting its students to be able to grow freely into their own bright futures.

“To inspire creative thinking, we bring together students, faculty, and practitioners from all disciplines, perspectives, and backgrounds—when we say radical, we mean it! Different points of view are key in pushing students to advance their own design practice. Our methods become a shared language for groups to navigate the ups and downs of messy challenges.” -dschool.stanford.edu

The concept of connection also brought the structure to life. The belief that it does not take a strong few but a willingness of many to truly create a strong change. A delicate series of connections that allows for the load of the spaces. These small pieces take the place of large walls or columns allowing for open views.

The circulation is laid out to be winding, a series of levels placed at heights that can promote visual exploration. Users will be able to see into other meeting places or outside easily.

While the stairena is comprised of a large airy void. The series of meeting places offer a variety of meeting atmospheres. Small Meeting room 2, 3, and 4 have highly visible spaces with open views into the stairena or sweeping views of the city. While Large 1 and Medium 1 meeting rooms offer a more enclosed space with lower ceilings that are visually more enclosed allowing for a less distracted atmosphere. This variety caters to students who thrive in different learning environments.