Architect: Clark Nexsen
Project Location: Asheville, NC
Project Completion Date: June, 2016
Short Description: The Lower School consists of a renovated existing facility, designed in 1958 by Asheville modernist Bertram King, and an addition containing administrative offices and a multipurpose library. The addition establishes a new face for the school, creates a prominent entry, and improves wayfinding by completing a circulation loop around a courtyard used as a gathering and play space. The existing classroom building was demolished to its primary structural frame and reconfigured to maximize flexibility, daylighting, and indoor-outdoor relationships. A strategically placed core consolidates customizable teaching walls and lockers, while concealing modern MEP systems at a consistent datum throughout the project.
Architect’s Statement: The Lower School at Carolina Day serves 1 st through 5 th graders in an inquiry-based learning environment, focused on supporting growth and problem solving opportunities. The facility serves as the primary entrance for Carolina Day School. Prior to its renovation and addition, the Lower School suffered from a lack of flexibility, and was in need of improved wayfinding and overall functionality. Located adjacent to Biltmore Forest, the school is located in a beautiful natural setting. Care was taken in design to reinforce the indoor–outdoor connection. Nearly every space in the facility has an exterior view, enabling the classrooms to utilize daylight-sensing systems, which automatically dim according to the amount of natural light. In response to the programmatic goals of using space efficiently, revitalizing the original building, and seamlessly integrating the old design with the new, the building was reimagined to support current and future functionality. Complementing the existing facility, designed by renowned local architect Bertram King, a 6,500sf addition establishes a new face for the school while housing administrative offices and a multipurpose library space. By moving the administrative spaces to the front of the facility and creating a prominent new entry, two goals were achieved: the improvement of wayfinding for students, parents, and visitors, and the efficient repurposing of classroom space in the original building. The addition also completes the enclosure of the existing courtyard, creating a gathering space and play area while enhancing campus security. The renovated existing building focuses on the student experience – creating larger classrooms with flexible furniture arrangements, new HVAC systems for improved climate control, and integrated audio-video technology. To efficiently utilize available space, the design features a teaching core wall that serves multiple purposes: housing building MEP systems the wall also serves as locker and project pin-up space on the hallway side and provides customizable teaching and storage space on the classroom side. Teachers can adapt the core wall to suit their individual teaching styles while maintaining an organized classroom space. Throughout the design process efficiency, flexibility, and student educational experience were considered for every space. As a result, the building features teachable elements such as an exposed structure and a butterfly roof. The roof is designed to catch and channel rainwater into bio-retention ponds located in the courtyard. With the inclusion of many multipurpose features virtually every space in the building can adapt to new needs and purposes, effectively positioning Carolina Day School for future growth and the impact of changing educational trends.
Type of Construction: The renovated building reuses existing steel tube columns and glulam frames with exposed tongue and grove wood roof decking on a rigorous 8-foot grid. The existing structure will be demolished down to this primary frame and wrapped with an energy-efficient continuous exterior insulated, non-loading bearing envelope. The addition utilizes the original design material palate, following the 8-foot grid, and is framed with steel columns, glulam roof beams, and exposed T&G roof deck. Both the addition and renovated building are skinned in a combination of lapped-siding and fiber-cement panels to seamlessly integrate the old and new. Strategically placed gypsum board soffits conceal modern mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems at a consistent datum throughout the project. The courtyard incorporates site cast concrete walls with integrated wood benches and landscape berms created with earth excavated for the new structure’s foundation. Landscaping consists of native, pollinator-attracting plants and trees.