Edge Preschool
During Spring 2021, Professor Darren Petrucci led junior student cohort through architectural exploration local to Arizona State University Tempe Campus. Program proposal was the implementation of a Preschool on a barren site within an affluent context. Further, students were required to become familiar with Reggio Emilia Education curriculum as this was the basis of design themes. Reggio Emilia Pedagogy is student-driven, encouraging students and teachers to collaborate in safe environments. A student’s environment is believed to be the ‘Third Teacher” in Reggio Emilia curriculum, emphasizing that architecture influences the way students will interact with their learning environment.
Edge
Edge was located north from Arizona State University Tempe Campus and located in Paradise Valley - a city within the entirety of Phoenix Metropolitan area. With the heavy urban density of Phoenix, Edge was unique as it laid within the heart of local mountains, trails, and the experience of Arizona’s desert. Preserving the privilege of nature on the site was crucial to the development of massing and placement on Edge.
Early Iterations
Massing in early iterations was mainly to understand Site Scale in comparison to the massing being proposed on site. 75% of the site was to be untouched, a goal in which was set in order to blend the preschool within the natural landscape. This really informed the orientation of the massing(s) as the Sun in Arizona is so intense that material decay is a major contribution to design-thought. As well as the interior spaces heating up too much from the constant rays of the Sun. Later, it was found that the Massing needed to extruded from the ground plane to really encapsulate students being one with their natural environment. As well as insulation efforts to reduce the cost of HVAC efforts in intense heat. The play with roof lines was the most significant discovery that I still employ throughout my design process.
