The New Bedford High School - Schematic Design - Scheme 3

Scheme 3 is characterized by a large outdoor central space, 3 stories high and partially covered over with a roof. This space looks out over the surrounding natural landscape and can function as an outdoor gathering space or learning space during all seasons of the year. The south facing exposure will allow the space to be comfortable during winter months.

The academic portion of the plan has a flexible, collaborative learning commons on the first level using open space recovered from small group rooms, the library and classrooms capable of opening into one another or into the central space to create the most flexible learning environment possible within the programmatic building blocks.

The community portion of the school has the HRM community centre, school athletic facilities, technology spaces and laboratories integrated together on two levels. After hours, the community centre can easily take advantage of the adjacent school facilities and the opposite could be true for the school during daytime hours.

The New Bedford High School - Schematic Design - Scheme 2

This scheme is similar to scheme one, with 2 and 3-4 storey components that accommodate the natural grades on the east side of the site. The upper (two story) portion of the building features the community centre and gymnasiums, while the lower 3 and 4 story portions feature the cafetorium, library, tech-ed and some academic spaces. 

The most dramatic aspect of this school is the glazed, 3 storey high central space, occupied primarily by the cafetorium and Library. This space represents a link or bridge between the upper and lower portions of the school...a transparent portal through the building to the wooded portions of the site to the south. The classrooms are organized along a simple spine on the south side of the 2nd floor, undulating in and out to form collaborative learning spaces or pods for each group of 2 classrooms.

This scheme has been organized with a very modern approach. Clear and simple circulation patterns and strong rhythmic positioning of elements on both the north and south sides of the composition. This scheme  proudly differentiates itself from the site by virtue of this deliberate and tightly organized composition.

The New Bedford High School - Schematic Design - Scheme 1

Scheme 1 is characterized by a 3 story form, taking advantage of the site grading to reduce the degree of site disruption and cut and fill re-grading. The community centre/gymnasium sector of the school is on the upper portion of the site and two stories tall, while the academic portions of the building are 3 stories tall and on the lower portion of the site.
This scheme is organized around a centralized atrium or gathering space and is surrounded by a very prominent cafetorium/visual arts component, the library and the administrative wing. The academic wings have widened corridor areas mostly recovered from 11 of the 20 small group rooms, which will function as flexible and collaborative learning spaces adjacent to the classrooms. The classrooms could open directly into these spaces (via movable doors). Some small component of the library could also be introduced into these spaces to complete the learning common analogy.
This school has a more organic form and would co-exist with the natural environment in a more sympathetic way. Due to the length and site requirements for this plan, 300 parking spaces are not easily achievable without eliminating almost all green space on the site.