Boston Architectural College Spring 2013
The purpose of this document is to provide students with Gateway and Practice Department policies and expectations [fully outlined on the Practice Department’s website: www.the-bac.edu/education-programs/practice ], as well as outline schedule, individual project requirements, and instructor information.
Project Name: Hyde Park Montessori School Master Plan
Project Client: The Children’s Cooperative Montessori School
Faculty: Justin Viglianti justin.viglianti@gmail.com
Asia Scudder asiascudder@gmail.com
[GENERAL GATEWAY INFORMATION]
Gateway Contacts
Head of Practice: Len Charney len.charney@the-bac.edu
Director of Gateway: Marilyn Moedinger marilyn.moedinger@the-bac.edu
Gateway Admin Assistant: Kim Farino kim.farino@the-bac.edu
Gateway Program
Since 2008, the Gateway program has served nearly 600 students in 75 different projects; it is a true learning laboratory, where students are actively engaged in applied, project-based learning, interacting with and serving community clients, and participating comprehensively in a wide variety of projects. Gateway projects give students an opportunity to earn Practice hours while bolstering their portfolios, serving their communities, increasing their technical and professional skills, engaging in cross-disciplinary work, and providing a venue to network with other students, faculty, and community members. Gateway projects are not intended to entirely replace the ways in which students have traditionally earned Practice hours - by working in design firms and related fields - but can serve as alternative options while students search for traditional employment in a design firm. Students who have participated in Gateway projects have consistently cited it as one of the most important, and powerful, aspects of their education at the BAC.
Gateway projects are only successful when student teams are fully committed, and treating their project like a job in a design firm. Through Gateway Projects, students will learn:
- Professionalism
- Time management
- Collaboration
- Communication skills
- Client interaction
- Presentation skills
Time Commitment and Attendance Policy
- Students are expected to spend 12-15 hours per week, outside of the weekly class meeting, working on their Gateway projects. No exceptions.
Students’ attendance at every client meeting and class meeting is expected. Students who miss two or more team meetings, or who consistently fail to put in the required weekly hours, may be dismissed from the project. Unexcused absences are determined at the discretion of the Instructor. Per BAC policy, work or academic-related obligations are not considered excused absences. Students should plan ahead, and alert instructor and team of any anticipated conflicts.
Students are expected to attend:
- One weekly 3-hour meeting with entire team and instructor
- One weekly 4-6 hour work session with team [in room 301]
Logging and Tracking Hours
Students are expected to track their own hours working on their Gateway project. These hours will be reported using the Practice Department’s online reporting system, and must be approved by the Instructor. Hours on Gateway projects are no longer doubled; students may, however, log up to 600 hours per semester on a Gateway project [approx. 40 hours/week].
Procedure for Leaving a Gateway Project
If a student must leave a Gateway project because they have secured work in a design field, they must do the following:
- Give two weeks’ notice, in writing, to team, instructor, and Director of Gateway
- Turn over all communal work and files to team and instructor.
- Conduct exit interview with Director of Gateway
- Agree with Instructor on how many hours will be approved for the student’s work on the project. Any disputes over number of hours will be settled by the Head of Practice.
Gateway Friday Forum
Students are expected to participate in the monthly Friday Forums. More information can be found in your schedule.
Gateway Resources
- Room 301 is available Monday-Friday, 9-4 for Gateway team meetings/work sessions. Work MAY NOT be stored in this room.
- Studio 1 and 2 in the basement are dedicated Gateway storage/working spaces.
[STUDENT LEARNING + ASSESSMENT]
All Gateway Projects will emphasize the following five Student Performance Criteria:
- Collaboration: Ability to work in collaboration with others and in multidisciplinary teams to successfully complete design projects.
- Client Role in Architecture: Understanding of the responsibility of the architect to elicit, understand, and reconcile the needs of the client, owner, user groups, and the public and community domains.
- Project Management: Understanding of the methods for competing for commissions, selecting consultants and assembling teams, and recommending project delivery methods.
- Leadership: Understanding of the techniques and skills architects use to work collaboratively in the building design and construction process and on environmental, social, and aesthetic issues in their communities.
- Community and Social Responsibility: Understanding of the architect’s responsibility to work in the public interest, to respect historic resources, and to improve the quality of life for local and global neighbors.
All Gateway Projects will identify student learning needs, skill development, and competencies based on each students’ most recent Skill Level Assessment and the department specific Student Learning Contracts.
- All Gateway students will write their own learning goals based on their skills assessment
Students will be assessed in the following ways, both on a weekly, informal basis and on a formal basis at mid-semester and at the end of the semester:
- Using the criteria established in the Gateway Rubric
- Hours sign-off by instructor
- Using the student’s own Learning Goals and Skills Assessment from the first day of class
- Instructor-specific assessments, reflections, feedback, etc.
[PROJECT OVERVIEW]
Project Description
The goal of this two-semester Gateway project is to generate a series of master plan diagrams for The Children’s Cooperative Montessori School, in Hyde Park. With ½ acre of land and three buildings, the School is looking to understand how to best utilize its grounds and buildings pragmatically, educationally, and as a reflection of the School’s values. The buildings and landscapes must reflect sustainable design principles, be accessible, and support student learning; all materials and plants used on the project should be environmentally sensitive, and appropriate to the School’s urban location and microclimate. Students in this Gateway project will conduct initial site, context, and building analysis, ultimately generating a series of master plan diagrams accompanied by vignettes to help potential funders understand the project’s potential and trajectory.
The second semester goals for this project include refining design ideas, and/or designing, in-depth, a portion of the building or landscape, as determined by the needs of the School.
Deliverables
In every Gateway Project, clients sign a contract with the Practice Department, which outlines what they expect to receive at the end of the semester. Each project must provide these deliverables, just as if you were working in a firm providing services to clients. Note: this is a real contract, with real expectations, real deliverables, and a real client.
By the end of the first semester, students will produce the following:
A report containing the following:
- Inventory and analysis of current site, context, and building conditions
- 3 master plan diagrams, showing 3 different strategies for land and building use
- Vignettes depicting potential design ideas for key moments within the master plan, to help parents and potential funders visualize the design ideas
- Record of the community process and data gathered from the community, if applicable
- One 24x36 poster summarizing the above, to be used by the School for outreach and fundraising
- One 1-page brochure summarizing the above, to be used by the School for outreach and fundraising
[PROJECT SCHEDULE + MORE DETAILS]
Learning Goals:
- Students will understand how to document landscape and site conditions
- Students will understand how to find and consult resources on master planning questions
- Students will begin to understand how natural factors can affect design
- Students will learn the importance of illustrating and presenting various schemes to help a client understand and sort through the available options for their design project.
PROJECT 1: SITE INVESTIGATION and ANALYSIS
Students will participate in a rigorous documentation of the Montessori School site by surveying the site boundaries/topography and existing building placement, cataloging the native vegetation and building types on site, and noting the surrounding context. On site students will have the opportunity to interview with the client and identify the design goals of the project. Students will then analyse their findings through measured drawings, photo documentation, and written descriptions to aid in the formulation of recommendations for a site design that meets the clients goals.
PROJECT 2: MASTER PLAN DESIGN SCHEMES and DEVELOPMENT
Through instructor and client feedback, students will conceptualize a comprehensive vision for the site. Through an initial group brainstorming session, three strong design schemes will be chosen (and developed in groups) for the final presentation to the client. Each scheme will emphasize different design opportunities and incorporate specific suggestions for vegetation and materials. Students will use the knowledge gained from in class lectures and resources to propose at least one design detail.
ORIENTATION MEETING: Introduction to instructors, fellow classmates, and Project 1
WEEK ONE [4 Feb]: Initial Site Visit - Documentation and Field Survey of Site
WEEK TWO [11 Feb]: Review of Documentation and translation into base information
WEEK THREE [18 Feb]: Research Site and Building Program - formulate Recommendations
WEEK FOUR [25 Feb]: Review Catalog of Project Recommendations
WEEK FIVE [4 Mar]: Review/Prepare Drawings/Presentation material for next week
WEEK SIX [11 Mar]: PRESENTATION: Site + Program Analysis/Recommendations
WEEK SEVEN [18 Mar]: SPRING BREAK [Midterm Evals]
WEEK EIGHT [25 Mar]: Introduction of project 2 - Lecture on site design
WEEK NINE [1 Apr]: Review Schematic Design Drafts - Identify three emerging Schemes
WEEK TEN [8 Apr]: Develop Schemes (probably in groups) - Lecture on natural systems
WEEK ELEVEN [15 Apr]: Develop Schemes - formulate Cartoon layout for Presentation
WEEK TWELVE [22 Apr]: Review Final Schemes/Cartoon - Presentation run-thru
WEEK THIRTEEN [29 Apr]: FINAL PRESENTATION [week before finals week]
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