May 2003

Ran: School Construction News - May/June 2003

Eclectic Community Embraces New School

SAN DIEGO - Residents in the small beach community of Cardiff, California, previously rejected and elementary school construction bond, so when a second measure passed, designers made sure the community would welcome the project.

Bungalows in the area often include an eclectic mix of red brick, stucco, and lap siding, a look residents wanted reproduced at the new $8.4 million Ada Harris Elementary School. Or, as one community member told designers at HMC Architects, "Funk it up."

Before the school was built, Cardiff had few community gathering spaces, but a new multipurpose room is proving popular with residents, according to Randy Peterson, principal and project designer for HMC. The space accommodates performing arts and sports, and includes flexible seating to accommodate indoor dining during inclement weather.

Each of the facility's 24 classrooms has direct access to an interior courtyard or smaller individual patios that serve outdoor instruction. Large bay windows were also placed in every classroom. Clerestories and operable windows work as part of a convective loop to take advantage of coastal breezes.

The Coalition for Adequate School Housing and the American Institute of Architects gave the 46,400-square-foot project the 2003 Award of Honor in the New Built Category.

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