UNLIKE EARLIER TIMES, IN WHICH AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF LAND POINTED SCHOOL DESIGNS TOWARD SINGLE-STORY, WIDE-OPEN SOLUTIONS, THIS PROJECT WAS FACED WITH THE DILEMMA OF A SITE MUCH SMALLER THAN THAT NORMALLY PROVIDED FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOUSING 750 STUDENTS AND ASSOCIATED FACULTY AND STAFF. THIS CHALLENGE, COMBINED WITH THE SITE'S LOCATION IN A DOWNTOWN, URBAN SETTING, CALLED FOR A NEW APPROACH TO THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE FIRST NEW SCHOOL IN 25 YEARS FOR THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

UTILIZING A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS INVOLVING SCHOOL FACULTY, STAFF, AND PARENTS WORKING ALONGSIDE NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, A BASIC SET OF DESIGN PARAMETERS AND CONCEPTS WAS ESTABLISHED. A KEY FACTOR WAS A JOINT-USE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CITY, ALLOWING THE MULTI-PURPOSE SPACE AND OUTDOOR PLAY FIELD TO BE USED BY THE COMMUNITY FOR NON-SCHOOL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES DURING EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS. THE IMPORTANCE OF USING THE PHYSICAL FORM OF THE PROJECT TO ENCOURAGE AND MAINTAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITY BECAME A PRIMARY DETERMINANT IN SHAPING THE DESIGN.

ARCHITECT: BFGC ARCHITECTURE & MOORE RUBLE YUDELL (DESIGN)
CONTRACTOR: TOENISKOETTER & BREEDING, INC.
CLIENT: SAN JOSE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
(ASSISTED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF SAN JOSE)

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