Work Thus Far...

For my final submission in this class I would like to produce:


1. A 3 Dimensional model that I can use to reorganize programmed spaces
2. Pictures of the rearrangements of these models
3. Diagrams of programmed spaces in past educational facilities
4. Collaged pictures showing possible and impossible spatial environments
5. New definitions of spaces and poems that describe the different experiences of these spaces

In the end, I believe I will have a deep understanding of the spaces needed in a learning environment and a better understanding of the spatial possibilities that can increase experiential learning and reconceiving space. Hopefully, by sharing this list it will force me to do all of these things I wish to do.

I would also like to cover my progress to date from my last submission. I am now looking to restate my title and the term “spatial creativity”. When describing spatial creativity I bring up three important subjects, movement, physical engagement and perception. My goal has always been to help people be more aware of their surrounds and I believe through their movement, physical engagement with architecture and their increased perception of space they will become more aware of objects and even other people. I am now looking to refer to this phenomenon as “Reconceiving Space”. This means that people are looking at spaces and creating new connections and looking past preconceived notions about what they are supposed to do in an environment, and then they do what they want to do.

This also relates to my goal of reconceiving a school, or redefining it. I hope to first look at redefining a school and other terms associated with it, such as classroom. These definitions will be based off of positive educational examples, the work of John Dewey, and some of my own feelings about what a school should be. These new terms will be redefined and will influence the layout of my thesis project.

Here are some conclusions I have been drawing based on my research thus far:

John Dewey: Pedagogy:
1. Learning as a life long process
2. Cooperative leadership
3. Learning grounded in experience
4. Importance of physical interaction with environment
5. Importance of social interaction
6. Instrumentalism – problem solving
7. Pragmatism – environmental adaptation
8. Community Support
9. Real life Preparation – internship model

Conclusions:
1. young and old learning spaces
2. integration of faculty and student power
3. less lectures…more doing
4. students and faculty change learning spaces
5. focused social spaces
6. use architecture to learn and problem solve
7. architecture teacher students and students “teach” architecture
8. community can use spaces
9. involve professionals or mentoring programs


Case Studies:
1. Consideration for ecology
2. Consideration for seasons and greenery
3. Open Space Learning
4. Professionalize Teachers
5. Interdisciplinary Work
6. Stress Creativity and Innovation
7. Cultural Values
8. Everyone's imput important to design
9. Close link between interior and exterior
10. Build with the environment: sun, wind, water, green

Conclusions:
1. consideration for how building sits on the site
2. green spaces
3. large spaces for learning
4. educational support for teachers
5. overlap subject spaces and content
6. lateral thinking
7. multi-cultural infusion
8. teachers, students and community influence design
9. overlap interior and exterior spaces
10. green design

Program Diagrams

This series of diagrams expresses my current ideas that have been filtered and processed throughout my initial thesis process.  I am now in the position to redefine a school.  I would like to proceed by speaking about my project in terms of what it is going to do for a community rather than the initial title it is given as a "school".  These diagrams demonstrate the new terms I am beginning to develop to redefine a classroom and ultimately a school.   

How Can a Building Be a Better School?

Why is Spatial Creativity Important?