Today, the High School Building Committee gave an information session to students on the new school project. Three members of different parts of the project each talked about the progress so far and their parts in the project. Maria Mulligan, a member of the HMFH design group, explained multiple features of the new school that are different from the current school.
One major new aspect is the lighting. The new school is designed to allow more natural lighting without glares and unwanted heat. The architects have been able to avoid this by inserting exterior horizontal sunshades. Specially-designed shades reflect the sun, preventing it from coming directly into the classroom by redirecting it to the ceiling.
“There have been lots of different studies…rooms with lots of daylight have been correlated to higher tests scores,” she said.
“It allows us to save a lot of energy. Electric lights are the biggest energy consumers in schools,” said Mulligan. This makes the school greener, decreasing its ecological impact.
The orientation of the new buildings was a carefully thought-out aspect of the design phase. Because of the new layout and orientation, even during the winter solstice when the sun is the lowest, the sun will never create a huge glare.
During the next two months workers will continue to lay bricks, and start to put in windows and work on the roof. They will also start to build the 18-foot high glass wall that look out over the courtyard from the Commons.
The current status of the project is for all construction to be completed by the fall, when teachers will start to move supplies over to the new school. Teachers will probably be asked to finish moving supplies over December break, allowing students to return from winter break to a new school.
Students will start the 2012 calendar year in the new school.
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The construction company is set to be off-campus by July 2012, after all old buildings are demolished and the new parking lots are paved.
The class of 2013 will not have to deal with the limited parking problem that the classes of 2011 and 2012 have faced. Parking will be available to anyone who wants it.
