Committee on Architecture for Education

Melrose High School – Learning Commons

In 2014 Tappé was asked to review the master plan for Melrose High School in Melrose Massachusetts. When analyzing the layout and condition of the school, it became apparent that one of the biggest needs was for a new 21^st century resource center that would help students achieve their goals while providing access to some new tools and innovative spaces. Originally opened in 1975, the school is approximately 241,180 sf and serves a population of about 1000 students.

The Problem

The Resource Center (RC) is located on the second floor of the building and was about 17,817 sf. A portion is covered by a mezzanine directly accessible from the RC as well as the main 3^rd floor corridor that contained some computer classrooms, a TV studio and some offices. There was also a smaller “bird’s nest” that was only accessible by stair from the RC. The RC did have some access to natural light via direct south facing windows, of which only an 8 foot portion was at the human level. The only other natural light came by way of borrowed light from the adjacent corridor, so views to the outside world through the prison-like CMU walls were minimal. The RC only used a fraction of the floor space for books and contained some cave-like classrooms that chopped up the floor plan. Furthermore, the connection to the mezzanine did not encourage cross-discipline use of the space and the RC was often a pass-through for students going from one place to another. The finishes were tired and the space was not inspiring for the students or the staff working in it. Altogether, the RC was utilized as one of the few spaces for students to gather and work, but the resources available were limited to a small section of books and tables for research and an impromptu presentation space.

The Solution

The approach to re-visioning the Resource Center started with a broad look at humanizing it for 21^st century learning with enough flexibility for the unknown future pedagogy. One of the first goals was to re-envision every area in the RC to be accessible to all. This meant the “bird’s nest” had to go. The side effect was a space that opened up a soaring 20+ feet, which harvested more of the borrowed natural light from the adjacent corridor while allowing more view potential both into and out of the new space from other parts of the school. In addition, the access to views and direct natural light from the south was tripled by adding a small “human scale” windows at eye level. This helped activate a section of the RC that was once a blank CMU wall in the shadows. The rest of the design was reworked to engage students as collaborators, communicators, critical thinkers and creative makers.
               

Before the renovation, the RC was broken up floor plan with a series of rooms each having significantly solid CMU walls. The rooms were mostly programmed for specific purposes and not used in conjunction with the overall RC resources. There were very few places to sit together and the space lacked a variety of seating types to accommodate the multiple modes of collaboration required in 21^st century education. The new space offers students a wide array of seating types in various locations. There is also a collaborative “camp fire” work station with group access to technology. Furthering collaboration was a better connection to the mezzanine, which fosters cross discipline connections for project-based learning. The layout also includes a dedicated room that is designed for collaboration by way of a continuous writing surface that wraps around the room’s corners. The notion is that by eliminating corners, we encourage the thought and conversation to continue for as long as possible. Transparency and passive supervision also enhances collaboration since students can see the work of their peers while they work in the many surrounding spaces both on the main floor and on the mezzanine.

As with Collaboration, communication occurs in various forms throughout a student’s routine. It was observed that students were not able to communicate verbally in the space and digital communication was neither encouraged nor well facilitated. The dark quiet space was reconfigured to a presentation area and students did not have another place to “be” without encroaching upon other RC uses. This left much of the space only usable for only one function at a time. The communication aspect of 21^st century learning was enhanced by a space that has become multi-use in a complimentary way; allowing students the option of staying around while not directly participating in a single event. Multiple conversations can occur throughout and  are encouraged by the various spaces that are created with furnishings, which vary from the more formal quiet areas to the less formal conversational areas. The RC also has dispersed technology throughout with full access to wireless internet and a computer bar for quick social media, resource look-up, email and printing access.

Building upon the foundation of collaboration and communication the need for think places was also addressed. The re-envisioned RC created some traditional library reading room spaces with rectangular tables. Mini-spaces within the larger volume were created by arranging the book stacks in a way that allows for thinking while being immersed in the information and resource within the space.  Students have access to places that are under a variety of ceiling heights from 7 ½ to 20 feet. Acoustics that support critical thinking were also addressed with a sculptural baffle array as well as lighting that creates an acoustical “canopy” above some sections. In addition, a small café / casual eating area with a variety of seating and table configurations was provided that encourages students to use the RC as they would commercial and retail locations off campus. Altogether, the space allows for the critical thinker while being flexible for other simultaneous uses.

In light of the current maker movement, the re-envisioned space needed to be an extension of the maker/STEAM lab being developed one floor below. While the actual “lab” had access to some of the more intense machines and equipment, the new RC creates a path to making and doing with a huge support network. The RC is literally the heart of the building; in plan and section it is perfectly situated at the center of the school. The new space allows for a dedicated graphics lab which has high-power PCs and support from the RC staff. In addition, there are several places for students to creatively work together and present their projects to audiences in a formal setting. The connection to the mezzanine is enhanced with a new TV studio and a business lab as well as a vocational CAD lab in addition to the standard computer/technology labs. These units come together to form over 25,000 sf of space which fosters creativity on multiple levels. The display of student content is also provided for through a digital messaging system that can be curated by students or faculty.

The Community Connection

The project was completed in about 8 months and has a double duty of being a community space. While it does serve the community at large through various after hours presentations, it has really helped build the high school community and serves as the “living room” for all. Students have reported increased time spent in the RC, and the collaboration lab, blended learning space and innovation areas are in constant use. Woven throughout are splashes of the school colors. The community pride and connection that supported the project is solidified by the increased exterior views of the outside and surrounding neighborhood. As the digital information age continues on, Libraries are working to reinvent themselves to be relevant. Being tuned for active learning and encompassing the idea of making a place for people, not just a storehouse for books, the space was renamed the High School Learning Commons and boldly looks to the future as a flexible beacon of lifelong learning.