-
Contextual View of Project
-
Site Plan, 1st & 2nd Floor Plans
-
Diagram of Educational Meander/River of Knowledge & Sustainable Features
-
Diagram of Chumash Cosmology developed with Chumash Elder during Planning Process; each principle is represented in the architecture and landscape
-
Enlarged Plan of Typical Classroom Layout and STEAM Center Types & Locations
-
Kindergarten Play Area where Students Explore the River of Knowledge that meanders through the campus, which includes boulders for play and gathering
-
1st & 2nd Grade Classroom Building features punched openings on the southern exposure, with colorful window seating and a reclaimed wood façade
-
Each classroom is identified with a different color and opens up to the Building Makerspace with glazed, bi-folding doors
-
Each classroom is directly connected to an outdoor patio and is identifiable by colored sun shading devices that tie in with the classroom color
-
Lower grade classrooms also open directly to outdoor classroom areas with bi-folding doors that connect to the natural environment and provide natural ventilation
-
The Kindergarten Building, entered through a large barn door, is adjacent to drop-off and Administration, and is identifiable by multi-colored windows
-
Classrooms connect to each other through “mudrooms” that encourage team teaching, provide experimentation sinks and double as hygiene centers for the adjacent restrooms
-
Abundant glazing along the street frontage provides a welcoming campus entry for the community, parents to gather, and represents a core Chumash principle
-
The entry canopy extends indoor space and welcomes students with a play on light, shadow and color to represent the skyscape; a core Chumash principle
-
The Middle School Building, a larger scale, is two stories, and is identified by colors in a gradient from red to orange
-
The Middle School Makerspace has a focus on the Sciences with tools, furniture, direct classroom and outdoor connections to encourage multi-grade collaboration
-
The River of Knowledge provides a connection to the outdoors for gathering and learning about bioswales, using drainage from building and site to recharge groundwater
-
@2019 David Wakely
-
@2019 David Wakely
-
@2019 David Wakely
Pedagogy and design combine at this new 900-student K-8 campus, creating an educational environment where both learning and space evolve in tandem. Emphasizing a freedom-centric, project-based, transdisciplinary model for learning, the new Rio del Sol School provides an unique educational experience for a largely underserved, migrant community. It is the first K-8 campus for the District and the first STEAM school for the County.
The new campus, planned and designed by A4E, is located adjacent to the Santa Clara River on ancient Chumash lands. The design answers the question, “How can we help the river find its way for the next 100 years?” A conceptual “River of Knowledge” – a meandering path through the campus providing various nodes of activity, fun, and learning – was conceived to enhance the students' educational journey. The River of Knowledge connects all buildings, functions, and programmatic elements, including (32) K-8 classrooms, welcome center, media center, multi-purpose space, and culinary center. STEAM-focused, indoor/outdoor maker-spaces for building, literature, fine arts, performance, science, and nature are strategically placed along “the meander” to encourage hands-on/minds-on activities. To truly serve learners and reinforce values of creativity, culture, and caring, principles from Chumash Cosmology are integrated directly into the design.
Rio del Sol
Category
Combined-Level School
Description
Project Location:
Oxnard, CA
Architecture Firm
Architecture for Education, Inc.
Pasadena, CA
www.architecture4e.com
https://www.facebook.com/Architecture4e
https://www.linkedin.com/company/architecture-for-education-incorporated/
Photography By:
@2019 David Wakely
Share