The addition of a new 18 classroom wing at Abraham Lincoln High School replaced a school yard full of aging modular’s and bungalows, returning the majority of the outdoor space for student use. This new 22,700 square foot, two story building brought additional activity to the northern end of the campus, while creating a new wind protected courtyard. Its new two story exterior arcade, provided for cross ventilation to the classrooms, while also creating additional viewing areas to the courtyard below. The curved structure at the narrow end of the court provides the backdrop for performances and presentations, while housing the support spaces of the restrooms and the student store. The need to provide accessibility transformed the daunting school yard into smaller scaled gathering places. The project was designed in accordance with California High Performance Schools (CHPS) criteria. The design used its east/west orientation, solar tubes, displacement heating, western facing sun shades and permeable surfaces as sustainable elements that also increased the livability of the project.
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