Kim Coleman @ USC

Project Intent Michael Hutaff
The purpose of this studio was to explore the possibilities of adding co-use programs on sites being considered for elementary schools by the LAUSD. Each site was analyzed to determine which programs would help to enrich the neighborhood and activate the street. The main program for this project was a charter elementary school for the LAUSD. The use of landscaping elements became an integral part of the design. Due to the low scale of the surrounding buildings, the site was not afforded any natural shading. Trees thus became important to the school in activating the outdoor spaces. There are a series of outdoor spaces that exist in this project; they vary in scale, color, and texture. Noise from the nearby 101 freeway and Santa Monica Blvd. necessitated a public barrier on those edges. The site was then divided into two halves by a service zone. This allowed for the school to remain private and secure while having access to the other functions on the site. Multiple level changes within the site accomodate a seven foot elevation change while also providing secondary security for the school and helping to divide the outdoor play spaces from the raised plaza between the recreational center and the library.

Co-Use Program
In addition to the proposed elementary school, I decided to add a public library and a recreational center to the site. Each of these programs offer an enriching public service to the community and have the opportunity to overlap numerous functions with the school.

kcoleman@usc.edu
Kim Coleman Associate Professor, University of Southern California School of Architecture
Project Intent Michael Hutaff The purpose of this studio was to explore the possibilities of adding co-use programs on sites being considered for elementary schools by the LAUSD. Each site was analyzed to determine which programs would help to enrich the neighborhood and activate the street. The main program for this project was a charter elementary school for the LAUSD. The use of landscaping elements became an integral part of the design. Due to the low scale of the surrounding buildings, the site was not afforded any natural shading. Trees thus became important to the school in activating the outdoor spaces. There are a series of outdoor spaces that exist in this project; they vary in scale, color, and texture. Noise from the nearby 101 freeway and Santa Monica Blvd. necessitated a public barrier on those edges. The site was then divided into two halves by a service zone. This allowed for the school to remain private and secure while having access to the other functions on the site. Multiple level changes within the site accomodate a seven foot elevation change while also providing secondary security for the school and helping to divide the outdoor play spaces from the raised plaza between the recreational center and the library. Co-Use Program In addition to the proposed elementary school, I decided to add a public library and a recreational center to the site. Each of these programs offer an enriching public service to the community and have the opportunity to overlap numerous functions with the school.	LAUSD - SITE A2 Santa Monica & Kingsley
SITE A: (1) (2)	all project sites home