Sofia Gonzales’s project, titled ‘WAVE: Widely Accessible Vocation Education Center’ was selected as one of ten winner for this year’s AIA COTE Top Student competition. This project emerged in response to Siobhan Rockcastle’s terminal design studio, called ‘Future Career Center.’ This studio asked students to design a 50,000 SF center for career technical education (CTE) at David Douglas High School (DDHS) in east Portland. In addition to the site and program brief, the students were asked to use the COTE framework for excellence as a basis for evaluating the environmental and social standards of their project. The studio was supported by Octavio Gutierrez and BRIC Architecture, who are currently designing a center on the DDHS campus in response to a 2022 bond measure. Kelly Kottlowski, a former UO grad (M.Arch ’23), also supported the studio as a teaching assistant. Learn more about the winning proposal here: https://www.acsa-arch.org/competitions/2024-cote-competition/winners/#toggle-id-9
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Waves symbolize the continuous and progressive nature of learning. WAVE, or the Widely Accessible Vocational Education Center, follows this idea at every scale to give students new opportunities for engagement and interaction with both the environment and each other. It serves as a bridge between two disparate buildings on the campus of David Douglas High School in Portland, Oregon. WAVE provides students with a space where they can thrive in active, passive, and collaborative learning spaces. While students navigate the complex twists and turns of life, they need a structure that can adapt and serve their unique and diverse needs. WAVE will allow students to learn how to navigate the ebb and flow of life as they learn technical skills in a way that gives them a say and ignites their passion to make an impact.
The use of modular forms enables efficient construction and flexibility of design, allowing for future adaptability and reconfiguration of spaces as educational needs evolve with minimal disruption to classes. Movable interior NANA doors allow for classroom spaces to open into the hallways and become more dynamic for varying degrees of learning. A hydronic radiant floor system heats the building efficiently at times of occupancy, while thermal mass in the concrete floors collects heat from solar exposure during non-occupied hours and reduces the cost of mechanical heating. Access to natural daylight in all classroom spaces reduces the demand for electric lighting and south-facing roofs hold photovoltaic arrays that allow the building to meet its annual energy needs and achieve net-zero.
To support and introduce local flora and fauna to the site, the form creates various courtyard gardens that attract and sustain local wildlife. Outdoor green spaces serve as dynamic classrooms; aiming to create living laboratories that inspire interactive learning about local ecosystems and sustainable gardening practices. WAVE is more than just an educational facility; it serves as a community asset. The design includes flexible spaces that can be used for community workshops, industry partnerships, and other continuing education programs. Adaptable spaces work to foster a lifelong culture of learning and create strong foundations for students to experience a variety of careers well into the future.
WAVE acts as a beacon of innovation and inclusivity by bridging two previously disparate parts of campus and bringing technical education programs into the spotlight as the center of campus. Additionally, the building is oriented to take advantage of prevailing wind directions for natural ventilation with operable windows to allow for cross ventilation in the spring months when it is most desired. Sustainable and locally sourced mass timber materials are used throughout the building, ensuring a low environmental impact. Modular forms allow for the optimization of materials, resulting in less waste, and showcases the potential of sustainable construction practices. Diverse learning environments ensure that every student can find a suitable environment for their educational journey, fostering a culture of inclusivity and personalized learning. Simple and straightforward circulation gives opportunities for showcase corridors in which students are exposed to projects, prototypes, and collaboration from other technical programs.
A network of gutters and downspouts channel rainwater from rooftop surfaces, maximizing water catchment with strategically sloped surfaces to ensure efficient runoff. Some collected rainwater is directed into above ground cisterns, which are not only functional but serve as educational tools, showcasing the water collection process to students. Additional rainwater is diverted to large underground cisterns. Large operable window openings allow for an abundance of natural light and views to outdoor green spaces while also providing access to fresh air through natural ventilation. The holistic approach ensures that Wave is not only a place of learning but a sanctuary for growth.
siobhan rockcastle 