Luis DasSilva - On Going New Design Process of Gardned School

In this rough drawing I intended to show the existing

features and their location as well the proposal changes

with a circle where approximately the new design would

take place. However, this as every other drawings and models

are all only experimental and conceptual and are all vulnerable

to change and/or being improved.

This is a plan drawing of a labyrinth that I wanted

to design for the playground site. This Labyrinth is

consisted of different wall hights and width as well

materials shown on the elevation picture below.

In this simple drawing I like to show my ideal of having this cube

blocks kind of set in various places around the playground site to

provide the kids at school an area where they can to anything and

anything on their own using these cubics materials sitting in the

floor. The ideal is to have them to be movable pieces and/or just

monumental cube forms all around the playground, so they could clime

on it observe different movements of the cube. The first concept ideal

was to create several visual phases of a full cube being destructed. This

piece is intended to promote educational values and to give kids the

opportunity to be the designers of their own world.

In this two pieces of scrap models, I would call, my intentions where to show other possibilities of creating something different

and outrageous. Something that would provide the kids at school

a place where they could experince a variation on change of scale

by walking trought a diiferent sets of pathways that would constantly change in sizes. Also creating these hanging bars where kids could hang on as they walk themselves in. The two pathways show different concept, as the image in the top left, you could see the pathway changing in width as it moves horizontaly, and in the image below, you can see the pathways changing in hights. However, the topography shown here are not the proposal or intended to be in the new desing. Its only intentional to be used as a support for my concept idea and this models wheren't even built for this porpose and project. In spite of this, these models were designed, built and used by me at an earlier project in a different studio class as concept models for a similar project realated to change of scale. This concept models were inspired by an idea behind of a story from a children's book. These models are not final and more likely it will not be part of my new design for the Gardner elementary school. They are just for theory and experimental purpose.

sorry to have missed last night, family issue i will explain later but this is my progress so far...i have created a panaroma of both Athol and Brentwood Street based on Google maps, I have a bubble diagram of proposed placement of playground scheme and 8 schemes of differant pieces and ground art to go with the overall concept of 'charlie and the chocolate factory', jean

Luis DaSilva - Materials Detail and Concept; Gardner Pilot Elementary School

Luis DaSilva - The Physical Analysis of the Gardner Pilot Elementary School, Allston, MA.

The image above is a top view image of the Gardner Pilot Elementary School in Allston, MA. In this project my goal is to do a site analysis, concept and a final design. In my analysis, my objectives are to study the physical aspects of the area, including the existing materials as well their present condition. This image helped me to have a more visual opinion about the site providing me a more refined detail amout the open space and dimensions between the building and the playground area.

In the three prospective drawings above, shows the detail information about the existing materials as well their condition and location in the site, such as; fences, trees, asphalt pavement and dimensions. In these drawings I wanted to be able to understand the existing physical condition of materials and the relationship between the space around the building.

In the three side view prospective drawings above, I wanted to show the type of existing materials in the front entrance of the building such as fences, walls, shrubs, trees, playground material as well the different types of pavement at the front entrance of the school.

In the site plan above, my goal was to show the dimensions and existing trees and around the playground as well to show all the entrances and exits of the school. The idea was to be more familiar with the space around the building and to get more information about the existing location of playground areas and parking lots.

Garnder Academy- Julie

This page is showing the time line for a normal school day. There is a morning and afterschool program that kids have the option to attend. There is also two shifts for lunch/recess. These are indicated bu the red and orange boxes. The second chart shows the grant that is given to each school when its Pilot status is aproved. Each little green person represents $10,000.

This sheet shows various pie charts regarding the students at Gardner Pilot Academy. I tried to use colors that are opposite on the color wheel to make the charts very bold. The only exception to this is the second chart showing the male and female ratio. I chose to choose the traditional colors blue and pink to represent the boys and girls. I also gave the girl a little skirt (just for clarity) :-)

On this page I am showing the Student ethnicity as well as the student population by grade. I tried to use bright and bold colors attractive to children. I also tried to use primary colors at first as these are the colors children learn in elemetary school, red orange yellow green blue. I ended up changing indigo and violet slightly to make the chart more readable. The color red indicates the highest percentage on these two charts. If you follow the colors in order (red orange yellow etc.) they will decrease in percentage.

I felt the quote at the top of this page really sums up what a pilot school is about. In general, pilot schools seem to be a great new thing. They really promote alternative ways of learning .They not only focus on the students success, but the families of those students as well. They have programs to help families with things like insurance and immigration. They also plan to host college classes as they are partnered with many of the surrounding universities.

Statistics of Allston area T Duffy

Here is the data for Income. I added the percentage chart to make it easier to see that Allston has similar statistics as Boston in regard to Income, and that Boston has a higher level of income than Mass and US statistics.

Here is the population statistics for our area. Interestingly, the majority of the population, according to BRA data, is non hispanic, but with moderate levels of spanish speaking citizens. 

Also, the majority of the population is in the child bearing years.

Here is the Land Use chart. Note that there are virtually no open space areas near our site, and the one closest is more playing fields than playground, and located across a moderately busy motor vehicle route (weatern Avenue)

Also note that Harvard owns most of the property surrounding this residential area.

Most of the housing is 2 or 3 family.

There are a few lots that have no structure on them abutting the site.

Here are the main transportation routes in the Allston area. it is interesting to note that the area around our site does not have any major routes abutting it, but it is surrounded by major routes of transportation.

i just wanted to point out that if you go on google maps and hit street view on the school address you can pan almost completely around the schoolyard from eye level...i'll bet you guys knew. the video about the designs for children were very interesting, inspiring, especially the one that exited only outdoors and had a lagoon on the premise!

Gila: upload your material to the web!!!!

as we spoke, your site analysis is a common work, which means that the other students NEED to use your work in their concept idea and design.
So, Please upload your material to the forum, and write some works about it in case someone doesn't remember, and try to do it before Saturday.

From Terry Duffy

Gila-TEST

Gila- new links

hello,
I added the presentation from yesterday to the links on the right side.
here are some links that might be interesting for you-
websites of the firms that designed the projects we saw-
Levin-Monsigny Landscape Architects (Open space Kindergarten)
Stig L. Andersson Landscape Architects (crazy elementary school)
Kijo Rokkaku (Oasis in the historical trail)

Jean Piaget- the first person who talked about children cognitive development

Playground safety guidelines

it was great to see your works yesterday,
Gila

Gardner School pictures and North Allston- Brighton Picture map

Hello all, I wanted to share with you the picture map that I had mad previously for some professional work. The link is below, you can view the pictures in a web-browser or on in google earth. http://picasaweb.google.com/ddelongchamp/NorthAllston/photo#map

Share resources with your classmates if you find something interesting or peculiar about our project at the Gardner Academy.

-Dan

I will post the CAD drawings as soon as I am able to so please continue to check back for the link.

Arlington Burial Ground - Final Presentation

My design showing animation. The site is coming to life with site and sound

A closer look....

Blue fescue is at the start being stiff and more ridgid. Chasmanthium is in the second section, with more movement, sound and hight. The peak point is with the Miscanthus being the tallest and providing the most movement and noise.

Materials used were grass, wood decking and gravel/stones. The different materials enhance the noise and focus your senses on the life around you rather than the activity on the street.

A section through the site showing the increase in height of the grasses, as well as the bottoms of the steams. More turbulance is added to each section, increasing the water movement and noise.

Three sections showing each space, A B and C. A small seating area and water fountain is added to the peak point C. This is the area with the most life and where I want the people to stop and spend time.