Waldorf Classroom Prototype

The Principles For a Sustaining Space Plan

Sustainable planning for the Waldorf Classroom Prototype comes from our firm’s approach of creating a Sustaining Space, in which we combines a richness of feeling with enduring building principles and practical technological advancements.   To realize this approach we place emphasis on a subtle beauty of aesthetic and self reliance, such that the school/owner has a building that satisfies its inhabitants and is manageable to operate and maintain within its financial means.  This approach favors resource and material decisions that utilize that which is readily available to the greatest extent possible.

Daylight is our most abundant resource, so we believe, that as such, it must serve a pedagogical end.  It is well suited to do so.  Daylight makes the work visible to the teacher and students.  Daylight renders form and movement in space.  Daylight is a form of energy and replaces the need for artificial light sources.  Daylight is a form of nourishment for humans and plants and daylight promotes growth and peacefulness.

Wind is also an abundant, albeit less predictable, resource that bring vitality to a space.  Cross ventilation is readily achieved when windows are placed on opposing wall surfaces, which is easily done in this freestanding structure.  Ventilation is made simple by opening windows and adjusting according to weather conditions.  For cold season, a bathroom exhaust fan combined with air replacement intake ports is an effective means to bring fresh outdoor air inside without major expense.  Or, if heat loss is of greater concern, a ducted heat exchanger system will maximize energy efficiency by reducing heat loss.

Passive solar heat gain and passive cooling are effectively done by orienting the building with the solar angle and planning locations and size of plantings for shade and openness.  To enhance the benefit of solar heat gain, the floor of the building must be considered as a thermal mass for heat storage.  Further heating is possible by a number of means, ranging from simple small gas fired heaters in selective locations to a geothermal strategy that eliminates on site fuel consumption.
Exterior siding applications will be done using the Rain Screen principle.  By providing an air ventilation space behind the siding, the material will dry from two sides and longevity of the material and finish will be improved.  Water run off must be managed in order to reduce the need and frequency of maintenance.  By using a roof pitch that either remains constant or increases in pitch as it reaches the eave assures that water and snow will not accumulate on the roof.  Generous overhangs serve the dual purpose of dropping water away from siding and covering ventilated siding reveals.

Reclaimed materials are simple in principle, yet require depth of forethought.  Finding a good material with a rich patina can be a source of great satisfaction for the discoverer and inhabitant alike, inspiring a spirit of use and reuse on many levels.  Chemically inert materials and finishes keep the interior free from strong smells and toxins that distract attention or, worse, cause illness.

Finally, but not lastly, the building must be a source of inspiration within the community.  Finishing of the classroom space over time will add character and variety to the space, thus taking a simple space and adding to it in rich, complex, unanticipated ways.  The feeling of the space will thus grow from its original presence into its own personality, given in part by those whose learning and livelihood are intertwined with its use and guided by the developing spirit within all of us.

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