Kevin O'Brien | Architect
sketch of academic village | site plan | arts lab entry |
---|---|---|
village courtyard | exterior detail | view of academic village |
library | view from south | exterior detail |
arts lab | science lab | pedagogical diagram |
village diagram | typical village floor plan |
CoRTEC
Riverside, CA
The Community of Riverside Teaching & Education Center (CoRTEC) is an innovative learning environment developed in partnership between the Alvord Unified School District and the Riverside Community College. The project will provide a strong pedagogical framework for pre-school through grade six, as well as a comprehensive program for teacher training and preparation for early childhood education.
Both the curriculum and the design of the school itself are largely influenced by the pedagogical theory that focuses on tailored ‘learning styles’ in a child’s optimum development. Four main villages will embrace the primary learning styles of math & science, the arts, language & literacy, and history & culture. Two other villages will center on Preschool and early education. The villages are linked through a 'neural network’ of primary and secondary pedestrian pathways designed to encourage curiosity and invite investigation by the child, as well as foster collaboration between faculty and college students.
The design responds to the low desert climatic conditions of Riverside with exterior circulation, extensive shading devices and covered walkways. Filtered sunlight is incorporated into the interior spaces throughout the campus. Landscape and hardscape features are conceived as extensions of the village and studio educational themes. The landscape design will exhibit the six main ecologies of California as a learning tool, in coordination with the village layout.
*While Design Principal with HMC Architects