Interior Design Underway

The WHS Core Team, architects, and interior designers met to look more closely at the details this week.

From the beginning we have hoped for an interior design that reflects the natural qualities of the good earth and mountain heritage. Warm colors of nature, sepia, greens, terra cotta, can help connect to the habitat and region.

Our school colors of Dark Blue and Light Blue are used as accents and focal emphasis especially in the gymnasium and public sporting areas.

Frequent readers may recall seeing this post after the first meeting with the interior designers. In that random and wide open sampling we explored this direction with the designers. (follow link below)
click here to link

Now we are even more focused and the suggestions that were made in a general way toward developing a color palette then are beginning to be realized in product samples and color boards.
Following are some of the color samples and harmonies under consideration.

This is one of several color combinations being considered in the classrooms.

Because we are using "day lighting" we will have very light coloration on the walls. We want the daylight to reflect as much as possible throughout the rooms. We will likely use three different color harmonies in the three different wings to give students a variation as they move from class to class.
The Media Center and Administration areas will share similar palettes with different accents. Doors, casework, and cabinetry will be red oak in color. These two areas will be carpeted using squares that can be replaced as needed instead of continuous pieces of carpet.
Color decisions have to be made for many different areas, but you can see the similarities in the various areas that help unify the building.
The Commons area will feature some earth tones and our school colors.
We are still learning the features of this great space (Commons). There are a variety of materials and surfaces in this area that will be a focal point for the community and the main concourse for daily activity.

Inching Forward

The WHS Core Team, architects, and interior designers met to look more closely at the details this week.

Architectural illustrations for the gym interior design were shared. Our school colors will dominate in the new gym! (As will WHS!)

This close up detail of the side wall indicates color areas. The large circle would hold a logo, mascot, or slogan.
What do you think should be in the focal circle?

A Pioneer? A "W"? A slogan?

Make a suggestion please.

I would personally like to see us carry over our heritage

by using a slogan something like

"A Tradition of Excellence."

Bleachers, wall pads, acoustic panels, uprights, beams and rafters will all be Watauga Blue!
These are some samples of the types of materials that will be used and some of the colors in consideration.
There are many more steps to come, these are the organized beginnings.

Step by Step

The WHS Core Team, architects, and interior designers met to look more closely at the details this week.
We saw mark-up drawings of several areas, with sample products being considered for those areas.
These sketches illustrate the interior theater walls, and upper walls and ceilings. (the wavy lines are sound baffles or acoustical clouds as they are called.)
The curtain and proscenium appearance is seen in this sketch.

Samples were presented for review in combinations as they would be found in the theater. This was a second review and reflected many suggestions that came from the first meeting. (follow link below)

click here to follow link

All of the samples reflect input from a diverse group of owners. It was nice to see actual surfaces and materials that are being considered. The review team made additional suggestions and looks forward to the next presentation.

The Commons ~ a Place for Many People

These are the area features of our main building. The classroom wings are on the right. There are three wings. In the center area is the "commons". On the left is the public access and large facility features such as the two gyms, entrance, band room, and theater.

By the way, most photos can be scrolled over and clicked to see them enlarged~~~~~~~~~

The science rooms will be built on this level in between the classrooms and the community space. We felt like the science classrooms should be centrally located along the academic core of the building.
The Commons area in between is a defining feature. It serves the community and public as well as the main concourse for our students.
In these two photos you can get a sense of the scale and design. Much like the concourse in a two story "mall", there are balconies that that overlook and open into the common atrium space. The hallway walk on the left in the center of the second floor is the elevated hall. The space to the right is the open commons.
It is sometimes referred to as the "wedge" since it wedges itself in between the classroom wings and the larger features. I prefer to call it the "Commons" since it is the area that will serve the community and as the lobby. The cafeteria is at the far end and dining is in the commons.This photo indicates the open space and the walkways. It is hard to tell in this foreshortened photo (flat images distort perspective). But the distance from one end of the commons to the other is nearly the length of a football field.

Where are Public Spaces?

This is where our main entrance will be. There will be a short foyer that will be the entry space. That space will filter through the main doors and through the attendance officer. Security will be monitored from this point forward into our building.
On the right from the main entrance is the theatre. This open space without the curved roof beams is the theatre. The roof will go on soon. It will also have a radial ceiling, but that is a few months away.
The next photo indicates the floor joists for the balcony.
It will be two tiered and can seat 100 people as well as be closed off and used for lecture type presentations.
The flat space to the right of the theater is the science floor.

Speaking of Curves

This is an end view of the main section of our building. The curved roof is very interesting visually and functionally.
I enjoy seeing this contrast of vertical diagonal and curved lines.
The flat deck to the right is the science rooms section.
This symphony of curves and horizontals and verticals is cool.
But this composition is warmly cool. ;-)

Building a Masonry Retaining Wall

In these mountains, retaining walls are a necessary part of large scale site preparation. We have several and have built them the way a wall should be built! In addition, we have designed them according to Town of Boone regulations.
Blocks are set and leveled each run of the rows.
Mesh screen is inserted along each run of blocks. Then gravel is added on top of that, penetrating the grid and anchoring the blocks with the mesh.
Slope and angle are established and monitored at each step of the way.
All runs are filled solid with crushed gravel and soil.
Completed and capped these walls will remain solid for years to come.

Curves and Curbs

Our driveway is settling into form. It has been base graveled and retaining walls are in place. The rock cut on the right will be terraced.

The addition of this retaining wall helped achieve a gentler grade. I like the increased curve it has created.
One new development that is exciting to see is the beginning of curbing at the entrance.
Graceful and defining, it is an element that adds permanent contour to the drive. This retaining wall is a nice curve too. Watch for a post on the construction of a good wall.
Curves in design for you pleasure and mine.

Oh which reminds me the curved footer in the following post was correctly identified.
click to link to other post here

It is the proscenium curve for the stage in the theater!

Many Eyes Study the Options

Recently members of the WHS Core Team, Board of Education, and the Architects met to review plans and look at the preliminary interior design features.

In this photo below all color components are seen. Samples of the exterior roof, brick, masonry, stone, floor coverings, and paint colors were considered.
At this stage only the earliest "range of palette" discussions have begun.
Very early choices were made to allow the interior designer and the architects to begin focusing the interior aesthetics of our new school. From hundreds of choices, the committee began to narrow the range of possibilities in this meeting.
One of the most inspiring aspects of this project has been the involvement of so many "owners" in the decisions that have been and will be made. In this photo alone, there are teachers, parents, architects, interior designers, project managers, alumni, and board of education members.

As a follow up to an earlier post about the "stained concrete" floors.
http://whs2010.blogspot.com/2008/08/whats-in-concrete-floor.html

After "finishing", these floors reveal a very pleasing texture and coloration. To my eye it appears to be similar to "terrazzo", but much less expensive.
Within the concrete is a mix of stone chips and rock creating a conglomerate concrete appearance.

Readers asked about "stained concrete". Actually, the stain is in the concrete, not on the surface. If you were to break open this slab of floor, the color would be constant all the way through the slab.
So it is not really stained, it is solid "colored" concrete

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters?

With homage to JD Salinger; that would be "Steelmen", not carpenters! ;-)

The first sense of scale for the radial roof is now visible. From the Hilltop Drive observation point one can see the gentle arch of the roof beginning to be set in place. This is a smaller section of the radial roof.

This is area 4 and is on the South East corner of the building. It is on level 2 (parking lot, main level) and is the beginning of the roof over the Auxiliary Gym.
Our new school will start out with an Auxiliary Gym. It took nearly 30 years to get a second gym and PE classroom in our old school.
The vertical columns indicate the demarcation point between the main building and main gym which is adjacent to the auxiliary gym.
The opening between the two levels of arched roof beams will be windows. We are "day lighting" in as many locations as possible for energy efficiency and well being. These windows will get a strong early morning light and a continuous daylight throughout the day.
Putting it together, bringing it under roof before winter, beam by beam by curving beam.

He might not be a carpenter, but I see he is using a "hammer"!