Norwalk, CT – Connecticut-based Newman Architects, PC is about to supercharge its work in public school construction by forming a partnership with DLR Group, an integrated design firm with a worldwide reach and a core of expertise in K-12 design.
Newman/DLR Group is currently developing the facilities plan for Norwalk Public Schools, setting the stage for a school system of the future supporting 21st century learning for all of Norwalk’s diverse students. This facilities plan will serve as a basis for Norwalk’s future capital spending and provide the rationale for facility initiatives.
Canyon View High School / Photo by Tom Reich, courtesy of DLR Group
Encompassing facilities conditions assessments of substantially all of Norwalk’s public school facilities, the study also focuses on aligning Norwalk’s bricks-and-mortar facilities with its overarching educational philosophy and approach. Priorities in creating a 21st century learning environment were established through a series of Benchmarks’ Colabs and a virtual tour focused on demonstrating best practices of research driven design leading to educational equity.
Both the facilities conditions assessments and Benchmarks’ Colabs included robust engagement with all of Norwalk’s constituents – board of ed, district staff, school administrators, teachers, students, and the broader school community – to ensure that the master plan equitably provides the settings for Norwalk’s future-oriented educational mission, for all of Norwalk’s neighborhoods and families.
For the 135,000sf Clinton Morgan School in Clinton, interior planning, cohort zones, and a shared, multi-level social hub reflect a pedagogy emphasizing interdisciplinary, collaborative, and multi-modal learning that promotes a sense of identity within cohorts and to the larger whole, all while providing security and improved access of the school’s resources to the community.
The sustainable design of the 231,000sf Canyon View High School in Wassell, Ariz. included the adoption of Viewing Architecture through the Lens of UserExperience for Sustainability (VALUES), which targets a metrics-based approach to evaluating the user experience of space and sustainable design strategies.
