Montessori Design School

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a montessori school

mathias fitzer


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DESIGN BY NATURE

A Design Thesis submitted to the Department of Architecture andLandscape Architecture of North Dakota State University

By

Mathias Fitzer

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master ofArchitecture

_____________________Primary Thesis Advisor

______________________Thesis Committee Chair

May 2010

Fargo, North Dakota

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(Student Signature)

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Thesis Abstract

Problem Statement

Statement of Intent

Statement of Intent

The Proposal

Narrative

User/Client Description

Major Project Elements

Macro Site

Micro Site

Project Emphasis

Plan for Proceeding

Prior Studio Experience

Program Document

Theoretical Premise

Research Summary

Case Studies

Montessori Childrens Center - San Francisco, California

Montessori Island School - Tavernier, Florida

Milwaukee Montessori School - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Montessori School and Yarralumla Pre-School - Canberra, Aus

Typological Summary

Historical Context

Typological History

Project Goals

table of contents

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1 This thesis examines the ability of designers to use nature asan inspiration in their design process, often referred to as biomimicry.

The final design for this Montessori school of 180 students in Winnipeg,Manitobawill encompassnatural systems interpreted through architec-ture for heating, cooling, and ventilatingthe building. It will explorema-terials andpatternsinspired by those found in nature; specifically, theschool will colonizea vacant grocery store.

Biophilic designis the term used for the design of the built envi-ronment to foster a connectio n between people and nature. Biophili cdesign is the opposite of biophobic design, which is the design of a builtenvironment that isolates people from nature.

The design solution will serve as a vehicle for investigating theconnection between humans and the natural environment.

Nature, design process, biomimicry, Montessori school, Winnipeg,

Manitoba, natural systems, heating, cooling, ventilation, materials, patterns,

colonization, biophilic design, biophobic design, environment.

thesis abstract

table of contents

Site Analysis

Site Narrative

Soil

Utilities

Vehicle Traffic

Pedestrian Traffic

Topography

Site Character

Boundaries

Vegetation

Site Reconnaissance

Climate

Program Requirement s

Reference List

Building Design

Design Process

Final Design

Final Model

Personal Identificat ion

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3How can a designer learn to embrace the systems and patterns foundin nature?

problem statement

statement of intent


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5Project Typology:

A Montessori school.

Theoretical Premise/Unifying Idea:

Designers cultivate a process in order to explore a designproblem. This exploration is intended to result in a design solution. Itis in this process that a designer can identify the relationship betweennatural systems and the building systems in their design solution.

It is up to the designer to perceive nature as a designer in order

to understand the parallels between a natural process and a man-madeprocess.

Conclusion

A designer may find that a natural system can provide design

guidance.

Project Justification:

Man-made processes consume resources and generate waste,whereas natural processes will result in neutral resource usage; naturehas no waste. It is imperative for all kinds of designers to learn howto find design solutions that minimize or eliminate waste in order tosustain a comfortable standard of living in human society for future

generations.

statement of intent

the proposal


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7narrativedressing problems related to sustainabilityby throwing technology at it, when it should

be instead assessing whether the currentstandard of life can even be maintained atall.

I have chosen to address this topic bydesigning a Montessori school. What has ledme to this decision was my own experiencesas well as the Montessori Schools teachingsand their emphasis on a hands-on approachto gaining an understanding of the world. In

many Montessori schools the students keepa garden in order to help them understandhow us humans have domesticated nature tobring about a higher quality of life.

I see the school as an education centernot just for the students attending but thesurrounding community. Direct communityinvolvement will be only a small part of theprogram, but I feel the project will have animpact in showcasing the natural world in anurban environment.

One component I can bring to thisparticular project is that in the spring of mysecond year I designed a Montessori schoolproject. I see this as only a positive factorin that I had barely a basic understanding

of how the Montessori Method works andhow its teachings can be manifested into abuilding project. Being able to investigatethis project at a graduate level will bring an

entirely different level of understanding. I believe that this project will foster anunderstanding of the relationship betweenman and nature, which is important as oursociety begins to experience the effects ofour striving to dominate the natural world.

narrative

As we enter the twenty-first century,we are facing a new challenge in sustaining

human society. The industrial revolution hasbrought about for humans an ever-increas-ing level of mechanical control over their en-vironment. Slowly, realizations about the in-creasing difficulty in obtaining the resourcesneeded to continue this progress has calledour motives into question.

It is perhaps born out of our desire toconquer nature that we have spent the last

few centuries designing environments thatstrive to isolate us from nature. I began toquestion this conquest of nature when sittingfor eighty minutes at a time in one of thedozen or so classrooms in my high school that

provided absolutely no hint that we are partof an outside world. The environment the de-signers created manages to provide a mind-numbing white noise to all the senses: theextraterrestrial glow of the fluorescent lights,the hushed roar of the ventilation system, thesmell of the volatile compounds used in thepaint and carpet, the feel of the completelytexture-less surfaces of the desks.

What has driven me to examine thisparticular topic is finding the reasons why anenvironment like this even exists. One mustwonder why the basic support elementsof life on this planet, light and atmosphere,

are denied to students. Was there a lack ofmoney? Was this intentional, based on the

notion that students are not to be distractedby the outside world?

Vast efforts are being made in re-searching technologies needed to sustainthe present standard of life, and controlof the environment, afforded to Westernsociety. One could argue that society is ad-


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9user/client description

User

The primary users of this building will be the students, teachers,and supporting staff of the Montessori school. The residents of thesurrounding neighborhood will have a small level of involvement withthe project as well. Below is a list of estimated building population:

Students - 120 in Kindergarten through 8th grade.Students - 60 in pre-schoolFaculty - 8 teachers for K indergarten through 8th grade.Faculty - 4 teachers for pre-school.Staff - 2 administrative staffStaff - 1 support staff

Maintenance - 2 custodial and maintenance employees

Client

Winnipeg Montessori School - Winnipeg Montessori School is alicensed non-profit organization managed by a volunteer parent Boardof Directors. The Board is responsible for the hiring of staff and for theestablishment of School Policies. (WMS 2009).

This school currently operates a small facility in Southeastern

Winnipeg and has been around for more than forty years. Their long-standing presence is desirable and the urban agriculture portion of theproject is an opportunity for expansion into an area of Winnipeg thatcurrent has no Montessori School nearby.

major project elements

A Montessori school is intended to promote education in a hands-on environment. The spaces required are different than those for a

typical public educational program, particularly because the studentsgenerally manage their own time throughout the day and the teacherrarely has to communicate with the entire class at once.

Major Spaces

Classrooms - the prepared environment of the Montessori Method.Very close attention must be paid to the details in this space. Spatialvariety within is ideal.

Common Areas - space for students of different ages to meet.

Wet Lab - for completing prepared lessons that are too messy forthe classroom.

Media/Knowledge Center - a centralized library space, mainly forolder students.

Indoor garden - to carry out nature-based prepared lessons in

winter months.

Administration - space for staff to carry out job duties.

Outdoor Spaces

Garden - space for carrying out nature-based prepared lessons.

Outdoor classrooms - for when weather permits.

Support Spaces

Mechanical - systems to supplement passive heating, cooling,ventilation, and humidity control

Restrooms

Vestibule


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11 Winnipeg is the capitol and largestcity in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It

has a population of 633,451 as of 2006, morethan half the population of Manitoba (2006CP). The city lies at the confluence of the RedRiver and the Assiniboine River in the dr y lakebed of the glacial Lake Agassiz. The geogra-phy is known to be flat and the winters arelong, cold, and windy.

Winnipeg is known for its vibrantcultural diversity, with nationalities of people

from all over the world. The project site is located in the West

End neighborhood, which lies between theairport and downtown. This area of town isnear the downtown area and easily acces-sible by car and bus.

macro site

North Dakota

South Dakota

ManitobaAlberta

Saskatchewan

Ontario

Montana

WyomingIdaho

Minnesota

Wisconsin

MichiganIowa

Nebraska

Lake Superior

Lake

Michig

an

Winnipeg

Saskatoon

Regina

Edmonton

Calgary

Billings

Fargo

Minneapolis

Thunder Bay

Milwaukee

ChicagoDetroit

Rapid City

Des Moines

LakeWinnipeg

Downtown

Winnipeg

Red

River

RiverAssiniboine

1 Mile

1 km

Project Site

t

Hudson Bay

macro site

LakeH


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13micro site

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ElliceAve.

WallS t .

Elm

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Goul d

ingS t .

Mint o

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Clift onS t .

micro site

The site chosen for this project is avacant Safeway grocery store in the West End

of Winnipeg, at the corner of Ellice Ave. andWall St. It is located in a small strip of com-mercial and industrial properties within aclose-quartered residential neighborhood.

The neighborhood lies near an industrialarea.

The high density of the area leads toa lack of open space. The only nearby openspaces are public recreation facilities, such as

baseball and soccer fields. The only distribu-tion of large trees is in alles along the resi-dential streets.

The Safeway grocery store that usedto operate on the site was the only businessselling groceries in the area until it closedin December of 2008 (CTV Winnipeg,2008).What this has left is referred to as a fooddesert, where the route from a source offood to a residential area is so long it must becompleted by car or public transport.

From Google Maps


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15project emphasis

This thesis project will examine the relationship betweenhumankind and nature, mainly in the ways in which humans build their

own environment. A designer makes choices about how to maintain alevel of comfort for people in the built environment. The processes ofnature can inform these choices if the designer of the environment hasthe ability to perceive the natural processes as design solutions.

The research will also examine the connection between humansand nature in their everyday life. In essence, the present-day builtenvironment is capable of dissociating people from nature. Thisdissociation can be referred to as as a biophobia, where designers ofthe environment intentionally, though not necessarily consciously,

create an environment devoid of any connection to nature. The designphilosophy intended on re-establishing the connection to nature isbiophilic design.

What will be most emphasized with the research is understandingthe social and cultural factors that have created a biophobic ethic inthe design of the built environment. This ethic is being examined in aneducational environment as well as in an urban setting. Additionally,a discussion of the domination of nature versus the domestication ofnature will be a part of the research.

plan for proceeding

Research Direction

The research for this thesis project willbe of the mixed-method approach, synthesiz-ing qualitative and quantitative methods topaint a broader picture of the research topic.Research on the premise and its history willconsist of secondary quantitative data andqualitative analysis of writings related to thesubject.

Research on the project typology andits spatial programming will be conducted

with the same mixed-method approach butwith personal observations of the site and

existing library. Case studies of similar edu-cational projects will be assessed for addi-tional insight into the research topic as wellas typology assessment.

Design Methodology

How the research will relate to the finaldesign is an important subject for a designerto understand. Design education equips de-

signers with the tools they need to assessand situation and start to develop a designsolution. An initial process of physical modelsand drawings lays the framework for a furtherinvestigation with digital design tools.

The data collected with the mixed-method approach will be analyzed with the

Concurrent Transformative Strategy. Thisstrategy is chosen as it allows designers ofthe environment to use any data they needto explore a topic, whereas other strategiesare more specific to a single idea.

The facts and numbers of quantitativedata are paramount for a designer to justifycertain aspects of their design solution.

Analysis of quantitative data is imporelating it to the concepts of qualitat

Qualitati ve research is the human perception and can be cowith a variety of methods. Participaservation of people and their intwith the built environment is crucdesigners understanding the socialof design.

Documentation of the Design Process

It is important to document aon the design of the thesis project. Digwill be duplicated when making anchanges in order to preserve a histodesign development and will be nacording to the date of their creatioprocess sketches and drawings will in a folder and large drawings will on a large art clipboard for easy accorganization. Process models will near the work area in a manner thattheir safety, such as upon a shelf. sketches, drawings, and photogrmodels deemed to be the most im

in the design development will be and included with digital design filesto be placed in the library copy of thbook.


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17prior studio experience

econd Year

all 2006 - ARCH 271 - Darryl Booker

A Tea House - Fargo, North DakotaMississippi River Rowing Club - Minneapolis, MinnesotaMountain Dwelling - Colorado

pring 2007 - ARCH 272 - Bakr Aly Ahmed

Montessori of Moorhead - Moorhead, MinnesotaPrairie Dance Academy - Fargo, North Dakota

hird Year

all 2007 - ARCH 371 - Cindy Urness

UND Center of Excellence - Grand Forks, North DakotaCranbrook Academy Library and Museum - Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

pring 2008 - ARCH 372 - Steve Martens

Fargo Childrens Museum - Fargo, North DakotaHell Creek Fossil Conservation Laboratory - Marmarth, North Dakota

ourth Year

all 2008 - ARCH 471 - Don Faulkner

Zeno Place - Mixed-Use High Rise - San Francisco, CaliforniaMy Life in a Cigar Box - Artifact Design Competition

pring 2009 - ARCH 474 - Stephen Wischer

AVE Train Station and Hotel - Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

fth Year

all 2009 - ARCH 771 - Regin Schwaen

Fargo Air Hotel - Fargo, North Dakota

program document


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19theoretical premise

As our modern civilization continues to develop new ways of improving

the quality of our lives, we must take a step back and ponder whether these

improvements actually improve. Humankind has long battled with the

elements of nature, from building a simple shelter to keep dry in the rain to

growing plants for food rather than waiting for them to grow themselves.

We found ways of improving our shelter and our ability to manipulate

nature to provide more food, and we slowly developed an increasing level

of comfort with our li ves. In the past century, we have become obsessed

with improving this sense of comfort. We may have taken this obsession

too far; we may have lost the ability to understand how we live.

Introduction

Sitting on a polyester chair under fluorescent lighting with thewhirr of a ventilation system keeping the room at a perfect 72, one hasto feel that humans have succeeded in conquering nature. Our moderntechnology has afforded us the choice of lifestyle where the naturalelements are no longer part of the equation.

In choosing this lifestyle, however, one could argue that we aredooming our modern way of life to an early demise. We hear that our

oil is being depleted at an alarming rate, yet there is still gas availableat the pump for a price that wont break the bank. We are blind to these

problems in the world. It is so damn easy and convenient to live, so whyshould we have to make any changes?

What this thesis research will examine is how designers of thebuilt environment can use their abilities to help remedy this situation.Designers have the ability to design environments that remind us thatwe are part of the natural world, so why do we keep constructing build-ings that shun this idea?

theoretical premise

Biophilia

Biophili a is defined as the affinity for life and lifelike processes(Kellert 2008). It is, in essence, a love of nature, and a desire to includeelements of nature in our daily lives. This concept is fairly broad in scope,and can be connected to any aspect of the way we live. The buildingswe build, the way we choose to spend our time, the way we eat, and theway we relax all have the potential to enhance the connection betweenus and the natural world.

Biophilia is the opposite of biophobia, which is essentially thedesire to dissociate from nature. In Kellerts book, Orr and Pyle refer tothe effects of biophobia as the extinction of experience (2008). What

they are referring to is that people have intentionally, and possiblyconsciously, distanced themselves from the natural world. They have

described the act as a precipitous decline, implying that it is slowlyworking its way into more elements of our society and that it is notdoing anything to help in the long run.

Biophilia is a term starting to become used more often in theenvironmental design field. This perhaps due to our society beginningto realize that we truly are dependent upon nature, and that we mustfind a way to deal with this and still sustain a reasonable quality of life.Designers of the built environment have the ability to effect change inthe spaces in which we live, work, and play, and thus the power to makemajor social changes in the fabric of society.

Biophilic Design

A thorough examination of biophilic design philosophies will beconducted to help understand the concept of biophilia. These designphilosophies are really no different than those taught in any reputa-ble design education program, except they have a strong base in the

patterns, systems, and experiences of nature. Stephen Kellerts bookBiophilic Designoutlines his six principles of biophilic design: environ-mental features, natural shapes and forms, natural patterns and pro-cesses, light and space, place-based relationships, and evolved human-nature relationships (2008). Only the lattermost concept is not directlybased upon a basic design principle that any environmental designerwould understand.


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21 What is most important in biophilic design is that the designermust have the ability to make the connection between the nature and

the built environment. In essence, the designer must be able toperceivenature as a designer itself. It requires a high level of understanding inhow natural processes and patterns work in order to manifest them in adesign project.

A designer must look to many different disci-plines of thought in order to be successful in biophilicdesign. A classic example is discovering the structure ofa nautilus shell. It would be easy for someone to simplycopy a shape into a floor plan and claim to have designed

using biophilic principles, but they would fail to under-stand what is at work.

Patterns in Nature

What is at work is a mathematical pattern called the Fibonaccisequence. The pattern is a simple series of numbers, starting 1, 1, 2, 3,5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so on. The relationship between the numbers is thattwo conescutive numbers added together become the next number

in the sequence., for example 3+5=8, 5+8=13, 8+13=21. Thispattern, shown graphically, is present in the way a nautilus shellis constructed.

The nautilus shell is not an entirely mathematically-accurate representation of the Fibonacci sequence, but theunderlying geometrical relationship is there (Knott 2008). Thepattern can be explored further and expanded upon with otherforms of patterning through other examples found in nature.

An example of the patternexpanded upon is in the way many plants

organize their leaves, petals, or similarstructures. The cone flower provides avery clear picture of this sequence in a moretwo-dimensional fashion, providing the flowerwith an ordering system that allows it to bestcatch sun and water in order to live. The size andformation of the seed pods of the cone flower is

a perceptible example of this type of structure.

Section of Nautilus Shell.

From maths.surrey.ac.uk

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2

3 5

8

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aphic

presentation of

bonacci Sequence.

omaths.surrey.ac.uk

Cone flower. From maths.surrey.ac.uk

theoretical premise

The sequence serves as a basis for the organizati on of howplants are structured in three dimensions as well. This is where it is ap-

propriate to describe the hierarchy and balance found in nature as well.An example can be found in the sunflower plant, whichshows a clear relationship between the sizes of theleaves vertically, along the stalk. This is so that each leafcan gain a maximum solar access without restrictingtoo much solar access from other leaves (Knott 2008).

What is most important about using patternsfound in nature is that although nature is not a designer,we must perceive it as one in order to understand how

these processes work. The processes that led to thesepatterns and relationships are the result of an endlessevolutionary progress. We may find beauty in the Fibo-nacci spiral of the cone flower, but for nature it is purelythe result of a function developed through countless

cycles of trial and error.

It is possible for designers to focus on natural systems purelyfrom a systemic approach as well. Studying patterns in a broad senseand finding appropriate uses for these patterns and relationships canhelp to create a very beautiful and efficient design, but focusing on asingle instance of a natural structure can help a designer find effectivesolutions as well.

Biomimicry

The term biomimicry is defined as the act of learningfrom nature, borrowing designs and strategies that haveworked in place for billions of years. (Kellert 2008). Bio-mimicry can be described a subset of biophilia, the specificdesign process that is used to derive design solutions from

nature.

Bimimicry is a term that has been finding use outsideof the environmental design field, particularly in material

sciences. A classic example of biomimicry in scientific development isthe invention of Velcro. A Swiss electrical engineer named George deMestral noticed how strongly burdock burrs stuck to his hunting dogs

fur. He studied the burr closely and realized he could use this natural

Sunflower plant..


theoretical premise

Burr from a burdock plant,

the inspiration for Velcro.



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23system, used to carry seeds long distances for plant reproduction, todesign a temporary way to hold things together (Stier 2009). He was

able to develop a way to manufacture the array of tiny hook structuresfrom the burr.

A simple example of biomimicry in architecture is that of earlyHispanic settlers in Colorado. They built dwellings of adobe, simply thematerial the ground was made of, but had no way of knowing how thick

to make the walls in order to find a balance between winterand summer climate conditions. They discovered that theColumbian ground squirrel somehow had this figured out indigging its ground burrow to a certain depth. All the settlers

had to do was measure how deep the burrows in the areawere and build their adobe walls exactly that thick (Kellert2008).

A more complex and famous case of biomimicry in archi-tecture is the Eastgate Center in Zimbabwe, an office buildingthat uses no air conditioning despite the hot climate. The de-signers studied the air ducting systems in termite moundsto develop a cooling system for the building. The termitemounds are able to keep the termite nest within one degree

celsius of a stable temperature year-round. The finishedbuilding uses fans and i ts system of air routes. This consumesone tenth the energy to cool the building compared to asimilar air-conditioned building.

This is something that humankind has been doingsince its inception, and Benyus believes that it is whatenabled us to ratchet ourselves to a higher evolutionary

plane. (Kellert 2008). If this is really what started the rapidcreation and revolution of a society, then why is this societyon the verge of tumbling into extinction? Why do we needto define a term to describe what seems so straightforward

a concept?

theoretical premise

stgate Center in

mbabwe. From

omimicryinstitute.org

Termite Mound. From

biomimicryinstitute.org

theoretical premise

Nature Deficit Disorder

In his book The Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv has coinedthe term nature deficit disorder as a way of describing the disconnectbetween people and nature in our society (2005). This book comparesLouvs own experiences as a child to his observations of how childrenplay today. His positions are aligned with the principles of biophilia,actively seeking to undermine the societal shifts that have led to bio-phobia.

Louv postulates that one of themost contributing factors to the wide-spread ethic of biophobia in our society is

that parents convey nature as a boogey-man to their children. What he means is

that children are taught to fear the worldaround them from an early age. He ques-tions the notion that the outdoors ismore dangerous than indoors, and whychildren are discouraged from somethingas harmless as sitting in the backyard andplaying with dirt. He cites that the distancefrom home that children were allowed towander was nine times further in 1970than in 1990 (2005).

Louv best summarizes his feelings with the very quote thatopens his book, I like to play indoors because thats where all the elec-trical outlets are. This quote is from a fourth grade student living inSan Diego. Louv is disappointed that children prefer playing indoors to

outdoors for fear that they lose their creative abilities. Nature provideschildren with primary experience (Louv, 2005) offering them the abilityto learn though their own perceptions.

Perhaps the role model in a more modern child-reari ng example

is the cartoon strip Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin, a six year old boy with astuffed tiger for a best friend, is always in flux about whether he shouldbe playing outdoors or indoors. On Saturday mornings, Calvin couldbe found in front of the television watching cartoons, with his tigerasking him why he is not playing outside. Most other times, Calvin canbe found embarking on journeys in the woods behind his house. These

journeys may be considered dangerous, but his world view is expandedbecause of it.

Calvin and Hobbes, a cartoon strip by Bill

Waterson about a creative, adventerous six-year-

old. From www.garydubose.com


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25eenchantment

Peggy Bartlett takes an anthropol-gists perspective on the issue in a journalticle about teaching sustainability prin-ples in schools. She uses the term reen-

hantment to describe the process wherebyeople can re-connect themselves to theatural world in order to foster a higher levelf creativity (2008).

Bartlett sees a problem in that peopleem to value rational thought over a spiri-

al connectedness to nature. She believesat more emphasis is being placed placed

n studying nature as an object and not asrealm of wonder, and that this quantifica-

on leads to a disenchantment from nature008).

This discussion of quantificationings about parallels to other large societal

sues beyond the simple reality that oururrent way of life cannot be sustained givenur planets resources. Has the environmen-l design field, and our society as a whole,st itself in trying to quantify everything ine world?

cDonaldization

Sociologist George Ritzer coined therm McDonaldization to describe rampant

uantification of everything in modernociety. He outlines four concepts: efficien-y, calculability, predictability, and control993). What these concepts are meant to

xplain is how our society tries to engineeroncepts and things in an objective manner,

parallel to how McDonalds was able to

pidly expand itself.

The concept of efficiency is verymuch a driving force in the environmental

design field. Of course clients would like theirbuilding to be more affordable, but in theboiling down of how efficient a building canbe to an equation level a lot of design possi-blities are lost. This is similar to how McDon-alds engineered its hamburgers to be madeat the lowest possible price.

Calculability is increasingly becominga part of environmental design. It is simply

the act of putting quantity over quality as aform of measurement, and the idea that onlyrational, objective thought can be correct.McDonalds knows that their hamburgers aresuccessful because of strong sales, and not

from anyone telling them they taste good.

Predictability is the antithesis ofuniqueness. McDonalds wants to ensurethat their burger tastes the same in Fargo asit does in San Diego or Barcelona. Taking adrive through any American suburb, one willfind the same chain restaurants in strip mallsthat just might hint at local culture in the waythe building is decorated. Any time an envi-ronmental designer actively chooses not toexplore a new idea, they are being predict-able.

Control is perhaps the most dammingforce against biophilic design. McDonaldssets a high standard of control to make sure

all procedures are followed exactly. Too muchcontrol will dictate something just for thepurpose of dictating it, even when it is notthe best solution. Control in environmentaldesign means that nature, which is anythingbut predictable, is essentially out of theequation.

theoretical premise

theoretical premise

The desire to have control is why so many new buildings, espe-cially educational buildings, do not have operable windows. If a window

were to open, the indoor environment would no longer be the perfecttemperature and humidity level and the ventilation system could nolonger achieve a high level of efficiency. It is the will of the school ad-ministrators, perhaps with the idea that children need an optimizedenvironment for proper learning? It is the designers, concerned withkeeping the budget in check so as to avoid losing a client? Whoever itmay be, it certainly isnt the children.

Conclusion

Ever since humankind began to domesticate nature, the qualityof life has improved. People were able to ensure that they had foodand shelter by growing their own food and building their own shelter.Over time, people became obsessed with keeping nature out of theirshelter, leading to a biophobic ethic.

Designers of the build environment have the ability to re-in-troduce the natural world into the built environment, if they are ableto perceive nature as a designer and understand how to bring abouteffective biophilic design. It is perhaps the greatest challenge of de-signers to try and foster a love of nature into society, with an open andcreative exploration into how we are connected to the natural world.


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27research summary

Introduction

The most important idea to be drawn from this research iswhyit is important for environmental designers to challenge the biopho-bic ethic in society. Of course an explanation of what biophilic designis would be important to the process as well, as would an outline ofhow all types of designers can find inspiration in a natural system orpattern.

Priority

This entire research document was structured around exploringthe relevance of designers practicing biophilic design philosophy in thebuilt environment. What was important in drawing a conclusion wasto first prove whether or not a biophobic ethic is prevalent in modernsociety, then to start to figure out how this ethic came into play.

The approach taken in setting this priority was to work back-wards. This was mainly so that the theoretical premise research couldconclude with the tying together of this idea to other ideas related tothe premise. Also, it helped to gather relevant research from other fieldswith ties to biomimicry.

Findings

This research study was able to conclude that there is a strongbiophobic ethic, both in the realm of society and in the field of envi-ronmental design. A thorough explanation of what comprises biophilicdesign shows that there is relevance to the ideas for connecting peopleto nature.

Biomimicry is a very important skill set for any designer topossess. Gaining the ability to perceive nature as a deisgner allows one

to understand how natural processes have been successful in sustaininglife on this planet for millenia. From the smallest piece of Velcro holdinga television remote control to the side of the couch, to an entire officebuilding in a hot climate, designers have found ways of finding designsolutions in the natural world.

research summary

Relevance

As a basis for all subsequent research findings, it was importantto understand the impact of the biophobic ethic present in society.

This was outlined early in the research findings, using quotes contain-ing strong words from researchers who specialize in studying the con-nection between humankind and nature. The term extinction of ex-perience implies that all connections between people and the naturalworld have the ability to disappear entirely. Another author made cleartheir feelings about the biophobic ethic present in society, using theterm precipitous decline to describe a rapidly-spreading disease ofthought.

The basic design principles outlined in the research can beworked in to the process in any design. The design process cultivated

by all designers can easily incorporate an emphasis on natural systemsand patterns, particularly in the spatial organization and hierarchy of abuilding.

The concept of the Fibonacci sequence in environmental designis a basic way of understanding how nature has patterned itself in orderto optimize its resources. This allows the designer to find parallels inother fields of study. In all examples illustrated in the research, graphicexamples were provided in hopes of fostering a more thorough under-standing of the approach.

Conclusion

The intention of this research was to identify several conceptsrelated to the design of the built environment with a tangible connec-tion to the natural world. It was important to sort out concepts relatedto society and how it is perhaps heading down the wrong path, in orderto understand the relevance of environmental designers learning how

to design with the help of nature.


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29typological research

case studies


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31montessori childrens center

ase Study - Montessori Childrens Center -

n Francisco, California

esigned by Mark Horton Architecture

troduction

Sited in a residential neighborhood inestern San Francisco, this 4,000 square footrivate pre-school is built specifically to ac-omodate the Montessori teaching methods.is comprised of two classrooms and a few

mall support spaces for up to 60 pre-schooludents. The small size of theuilding is desired by someontessori educators, as is its

umble presence in the neigh-orhood. The owners of thisuilding do not want it to show-oat itself, and believe that thechitecture should impact the

sers of the building instead.

ndings

Like other Montessori school projects,e Montessori Childrens Center is designedreflect the hands-on approach that is es-

ntial to the Montessori Method of educa-on. It affords a strong connection betweene indoors and the outdoors, with detailsch as a door scaled for small children that

ads to the outdoor learning area.

This project is solely a pre-schoolintended for children under the age of six.

This is not uncommon in Montessori schools,as the methods hand-on teachings are verybeneficial to younger children. The spaces inthe building do not offer the level of flexibil-ity that is typical in Montessori schools, likelydue to concerns over the young age of thechildren.

Site

The site of this project was originallya small number of residential lots. The lotswere never intended to house a school, butthis helped the school adiministrators ac-complish their goal of building a school thatdoes not create a strong impact on the sur-rounding neighborhood. The project seems

successful in its ability to blendin the the two-story 1950s-erahouses of the neighborhoodbut not to hide the fact that it isan educational building.

The building responds toseveral environmental factors,

chiefly the shade from the roofoverhang and the collectionof water for watering the land-

scaping at the lower end of the long-slopingroof.

Analysis

The building is built with off-the-shelf

components from commercial construction,which are well-suited to the design inten-tions of the building and also allow for a swiftconstruction process. The play of light in the

View of building from street.

Cubby room, showing light

conditions.

montessori childrens center

building is accomplished with the use of storefront-style extrudedaluminum window frames, which were cut and fitted on-site. The overall

shape of the building, which is a single mass with several additive andsubtractive elements, is composed of corrugated steel decking as a roofstructure. All interior walls are non-bearing.

The building is almost entirely rectillinear, save for the slope ofthe roof and windows and the slight outward canting of the front wall.

The roof plane is given a thick profile, creating a position of a lid ontop of the building.

The composition of spaces in the building is very simple. A singlehallway serves as both the entrance and as the main circulation path.

The reception desk is located inside the main entry, at the upper-rightcorner of the plan drawings. The two classrooms, main restrooms, and

administration office are accessed directly by the hallway.

Each classroom has within it a small kitchen area and directaccess to the main restrooms. A cubby space is shared between thetwo classrooms, which is used as the main route between indoors andout.

The buildings function s are kept to a single flat plane, but thedesigners took an opportunity to provide a hierarchy to spaces in the

Plan and section of building.


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33building section. All support spaces are capped at a typical ceilingheight, with space above them left open to the cathedral ceilings of the

classrooms and main circulation space.

Conclusion

The way in which this particular Montessori school enhancesthe connection between humans and nature is only manifested in thepresence of light in the interior spaces. The outdoor play area is com-prised entirely of man-made materials, as are nearly all surfaces in theinterior of the building.

The main value in this case study is the way it addresses its site,particularly the design decisions regarding its low-key presence in itsquiet suburban setting. It is also the only case study explored that issolely for pre-school age kids, and it addresses the concerns for thistype of building user.

From:

Woodbridge, S. B. (2005, April). Kids on the Block. Architecture, 68-71.

montessori childrens center


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35montessori island school

Case Study - Montessori Island School - Tavernier, Florida

Designed by Jersey Devil

Introduction

The MontessoriIsland School is a pre-school and elementaryschool located in thesmall town of Tavernierin the Florida Keys. The8,500 square foot school

has room for 120 studentsand two teachers in eachof its four classrooms.What is most distinctive

about the project is its use of passive cooling strategies, an anomaly fora school building in South Florida.

Findings

The large open interior spaces are present in any well-desig ned

Montessori school, as isa connection betweenthe indoor spaces andoutdoor spaces. Thetactility of the materials isfound everywhere in thedesign of this building,from the texture of theexterior walls to theintegrity of material in

the flooring and groundcover.

What sets thiscase study apart is its

thorough use of outdoorspace in its architecture.

The indoor spaces arelocated on a single floor

ont of building, showing metal roof and concrete walls

Rear of building showing outdoor circulation and play area.

montessori island school

that is elevated above the ground, with a covered outdoor classroomand playground beneath the building. The comprehensive response to

the environment for this case study is above and beyond the othersand is exemplary for any building.

Site

The way the building acknowledges the climate of South Floridais prevalent in the entire building design. The spaces are lit and ventilat-ed naturally, with only a few ceiling fans helping to cool the structure.

The roof and non-shaded walls are clad in sheet steel, which reflectsa great deal of heat from the sun. The windows are shaded by simple

canvas shades, and the sectional design of the building cools the spacesalmost entirely with passive systems.

The passive cooling design principles in this building arealready highly successful, with energy costs just over $100 per month

on average. Where it goes far beyond the other case studies is thatthe building is designed to be added on to. When it is, its energy useper student will drop even further. The planned addition is simply thereverse of the current structure, with an atrium in between that createsa heat chimney to reduce or eliminate the use of ceiling fans. The futureatrium is currently a covered, screened-in outdoor gathering area.

Transverse section, showing natural ventilation


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Analysis

The building is built primarily of concrete, mainly in the wallsand floor. The concrete textures are left exposed, and the flooring in theinterior spaces are simply a sealant applied over the slab structure. Theroof trusses are enclosed within a ceiling vault, with the angle on theunderside intended to diffuse light. This also allows for varied ceilingconditions in different areas of the classrooms.

The circulation in the building is comprisedentirely of outdoor spaces. Two of the classrooms andmain restrooms are accessed directly from the coveredatrium but the outlying two classrooms are accessedby partially-sheltered walkways. The staff areas areaccessed through the reception area.

The walls in the building are aligned at either a90 or a 45 grid, but are composed in such a way thatthey do not create any acute-angle corners in the mainspaces. Only the storage closets have acute angles.

This orientation of walls helps to create a variety ofnooks and corners, but avoids any closed-in feeling.

The plan of the building is laid out with a clear and simplesense of hierarchy. Each classroom has its own servant support spaces,including a screened porch, restroom, and storage area. Every space inthe building is servant to the outdoor environment, with an emphasison the covered atrium space. The building is perfectly symmetrical


Close-up of sunshades.

Main floor plan of building.

longitudinally and will be transversely when the addition is completed. Each classroof the building has its own longitudinal symmetry, with a circulation node in the area

the two classrooms. This node can be seen as branched off from the main circulatiothe atrium.

Conclusion

A comprehensive responseto nature is most valuable in thistheoretical premise research. It ismanifested in the material choices,

lighting and cooling design, andtree-like hierarchy and symmetry inthe spatial layout. The strong tactilequalities and pattern of hierarchyis the premise of biophilic design,and the nature-driven systemsto light and cool the building arethe emobdiment of biomimicry inarchitecture.

From:

Dunlop, B. (1997, October). Montessori Island School. Architectural Record, 118-121.


Outdoor classroom beneath the building.


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39milwaukee montessori school

Case Study - Milwaukee Montessori School - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Designed by Studio Works

Introduction

The task set out to the architectsfor the Mi lwaukee Montessori Schoolwas to rennovate an office buildingthat was originally built as a Catholicschool into a Montessori school ona budget of $15 per square foot. Theproject is larger than the other case

studies, at over 50,000 square feet,and is located in a cold climate.

Findings

This Montessori school project encompasses the same tactilequality of materials as the other case studies, and there is a level of flex-ibility in the spaces. The light and general environmental qualities are amajor driving force in the design.

The most distincitve characteristicsof this particular case is that it must addressconstraints that the other cases did not have.

The schools placement in an existing struc-ture limited what the designers could do withpassive ventilation and lighting, as the majorityof the building skin had to be maintained. Theability to connect the indoors to the outdoorswas limited by the climate, so the designershad to focus almost entirely on the interior ofthe building.

Site

A major challenge for the designers of this building was tokeep the integrity of the Montessori Method in a building designed formaximum efficiency. The circulation paths between spaces are mostlyretained, but they are expanded at various points into i nformal gather-

ain entrance, showing the only exterior additions to

e existing building.

Relationship of new spaces and materials

to existing space.

milwaukee montessori school

ing spaces to encourage interaction betweenstudents of different age groups.

Analysis

The structure is typical of a 1960s erainstitutional building, with concrete bearingwalls and concrete slab floors. No changeswere made to the structure or openings.Many of the existing windows are placed upagainst the ceiling plane, providing ample

natural light.

The exterior of the building unchanged from its original 1960s

so the form is very clean and rectillinmasses of the single-story and twsections of the building are cautiougrated in each other, and the canopture added during the remodel dolittle to cause any stir in the overall ction of the building.

The interior spaces of the have seen a great deal of change, par

in the floor and wall surfaces. The deset out to keep existing walls and intact wherever they could, and mad

alterations otherwicirculation spaces we

mostly intact, but wgathering spaces salong their length terase the repetitive nthe original circulatspatial layout. Theseing spaces act as nothey are placed at the point of circulation arooms spaces, which bring hierarchy of mointo a formerly monlayout.

The most bold

is in the addition of functional gathering s

the main floor, whichas a small theater. Thwedges itself betweclassrooms and has afloor within the wedgof changing spatial chistics in both plan and

The powerful gestur

Isometric plans of the building.


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41

space is made more powerful by its material, which is sealed plywoodfor the walls, floor, and ceiling.

Various sheet wood materials are used as flooring throughoutthe building, including OSB, fiberboard, wheatboard, and MDF. The de-signers used these to create play in the space, giving unique conditionsfor people to interact within the space.


Multi-functional gathering space, with its plywood surfaces and ramped floor.

ried natural floor materials and movable walls.


Conclusion

Elements of biophilic design are prevalent chiefly in the materialsurfaces of the building and also in the spatial organization. Particularly,the textures of the different floor materials showcase ways in which hu-mankind has domesticated trees and other plants to build dwellings.

From:

Giovannini, J. (2000, June). The Montessori Method.Architecture, 117-121.

Conceptual drawing of interior space details


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43yarralumla pre-school

ase Study - Montessori School and Yarralumla

e-school - Canberra, Australia

esigned by Kiah Environmental Designers

troduction

This landscape design project wasompleted on the sunny north-facing sidef a small school building in a suburban areaf Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The

angular-shaped site was developed withontessori teaching principles and heavy in-

olvement from the local community.

ndings

The tangible material qualities andvolvement of all five senses are majorements to this project, moreso than in therevious architectural case studies. There is a

rong connection between the indoor and

outdoor spaces, much like the other warm-climate cases.

This project being ofthe landscape design disci-pline affords opportunitiesthat would not necessar-ily exist in an architectureproject. The designers wereable to play with materialson the site and incorporateinteractive water elements.

Site

The project site is veryideal for an outdoor playand learning area, mainlyin its direct exposure tonorthern sunlight. Largetrees provide shade and adiversity of micro-climate

conditions. Landscape surfaces are variedthroughout the project, with hard surfaces,such as concrete and loose rock, and softsurfaces, such as mulch and lawn.

These varied environments effectivelycreate different social spaces, with differentactivities able to be carried out throughoutthe project. The large open lawn and the pondare perhaps the most social spaces, with therock gardens and shaded areas being moreintimate and personal.

an of landscape.

Leaf-shaped play area.

yarralumla pre-school

The personality of the project is very strong in how the design-ers involved the community with its design and construction. Elements

of the projects are incorporated, both abstractly and literally, basedon the location of the project nearthe ocean. One hard-paved areais shaped like a seashell, otherslike leaves. A small pond area witha mist-spraying machine allowschildren to interact with the waterin ways they never could haveindoors.

People are able to interactdirectly with the domestication ofnature in the gardens kept on thesite. There are both flower and veg-etable gardens, and the vegetable

gardens provide the ability to ex-perience the site in a way that ar-chitectural and landscape designprojects typically can not: throughtaste.

Analysis

The composition of spacesacross the landscape project embodies a large variety of conditions. The

open and flat nature of the lawn is contrasted with the jagged-feelingnature of the rock gardens. The areas of shade and the areas of shadow

are well-balanced, essential for varied weather patternsboth seasonally and throughout the day.

The circulation paths are laid out in varied surfaces

and compositions and lead people near and throughthe various landscape features of the site. Even in thecirculation path to the parking lot there is a variancein sensory inputs: the noises made and textures felt bywalking on different materials, the feel of the sun versusthe shade, and the smells of the flower gardens.

Social space with varied textures

Interactive water element.


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45yarralumla pre-school

onclusion

This project is essential to understand-g the theoretical premise from more thanst the perspective of an architect. The in-

olvement of natural materials and patternsthis project gives a very strong biophilic

onnection. People are very much a part ofis design, both in how the project is putgether and how people interact within the

paces.

The flower and vegetable gardens are

ot out of the ordinary for a suburban area,ut finding them in a childrens playground

hows that the designers understood theoncepts of biophilia in the design of a Mon-ssori school.

om:

an Gelderen, J. (1998, March). An Imaginative

esponse to a Functional Brief. Landscape Aus-

alia, 210-211.

Water-spraying element.


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47typological summary

troduction

These four case studies were chosenainly for their varied size and scope, ande strong design characteristics that each

f them convey. The small, quaint pre-schoola quiet suburb of San Francisco is impor-

nt in understanding how an architecturalroject can blend in to its community. Theunny South Florida school building dem-nstrates a level of response to the environ-ent far beyond what most designers can

thom. The re-development of an officeuilding into a Montessori school shows howdesigner can make simple, bold gestures ine right places to completely transform an

xisting series of spaces. The Autralian land-

ape design project shows how designersher than architects can incorporate a strong

onnection between people and the naturalorld. All of these projects only helped torengthen the theoretical premise research.

nalysis

What was found an all case studiesas the embodiment of some principle of

e Montessori Method for education. Alsound in all cases was at least some investiga-

on of design with biophilic elements, somebviously stronger than others. The presencef biophilic design in the projects was veryelpful in understanding the different ways

at those principles can work their way intoe building design. The Montessori Island

chool school showed the use of a naturaldering system for creating spatial hierar-

hy and variation in the spaces with simple,raight lines. The Milwaukee Montessori

chool showcased the patterns found in theructure of trees in its composition of wood

panels.

The project that is most differentfrom the others is the Montessori ChildrensCenter in San Francisco, mainly in that it didnot make any bold gestures toward biophilicdesign or any sort of biomimicry in the waythe building is lit and ventilated. The clientstressed that it blending in the nighborhoodmore than it showed itself off as a Montessorichild care center, and as a reult design oppor-tunities are lost.

The one non-architec tural case, theplayground in Canberra, Australia, perhaps

presents the most lessons to be learnedabout biophilic design. This is not only in itsstrong, successful use of the principles but inthe opportunities it presents that an archi-tect may not necessarily take. It took a veryholistic approach to biophilic design, and isable to convey lessons from nature to thestudents through all five senses. The tactilequality to the entire design, highlighting thedifference between light and dark, soft andhard, open and intimate, presents the naturalenvironment at a level that the architectguralcase studies were unable to achieve.

Only the Montessori Island School

came close to the level of the Autralian play-ground. The Island School went beyond theothers in terms of biomimicry, relying almostentirely on natural systems for lighting and

cooling the space. The two new-construction architec-tural cases took very different approaches toresponding to their site. Whereas the Mon-tessori Childrens Center took a soft-footedapproach as a way of respecting the neigh-borhood, the Montessori Island School tookfull advantage of its site conditions in an

typological summary

almost celebratory manner. The MilwaukeeMontessori School did not have the budget

or the scope to deal with the site beyond theexisting building and took very bold and cal-culated gestures to completely transform thebuilding.

The social context of the site wasstrongly prevalent in the Montessori Chil-drens Center and the Austrlian playgound.Whereas the Childrens Center sets out tooperate as a separate entity from the com-

munity, in keeping with the separation ofa subdivision, the Autralian playgroundembraces the social and cultural makeup ofthe surrounding community. These two ap-proaches are valuable to study side-by-side,

as the results of their different ethics areclearly apparent.

The Montessori Island School andAustralian playground both show a greatemhpasis on the function of the outsideenvironment in their circulation paths andcomfort systems. The Island school forcesstudents to travel outdoors between spaces.

The M ilwaukee Montessori School shows agreat variety of function to the spaces withinthe building.

The spatial relationships of all fourprojects have a clear sense of the naturalconcept of hierarchy. The strongest showingof this was in the Montessori Island School,

with the way it sets out a pattern in its floorplan that brings about the kinds of spacesand spatial relationships desirable for a Mon-tessori school.

The project that most addresses thepragmatic issues is the Milwaukee MontessoriSchool, mainly in how it occupies a buildingthat did not previously embody and bio-

philic design characteristics. The chof changing the function and spatia

zation without making any drastic changes to the building appears been resolved successfully. The challearchitects put upon themselves for ttessori Island School in building a sSouth Florida with no air conditioningreat one, and their understandingthe systems of the building would function like natural ones led to a sudesign.

Conclusion

This typological analysis is suin analyzing projects that embody bprinciples of the Montessori Methodcation and in biophilic design and the strong connections between tIt may not be that the Montessori of education is the key to addressprevalence of the biophobic ethic inas outlined in the theoretical premthe analysis of these case studies hawhere the concepts of biophilia workof a nature-based educational system


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49

historical context

historical context


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51typological history

typological history

Dr. Maria Montessori became interested in the educational development

of children while she was a medical intern at a phychiatric hospital in

Rome. She began developing her methods while working with mentally

challenged children. As she began to develop her approach to helping the

children learn, she began to see a great deal of progress in the childrens

abilities. She eventually coined the term Casa dei Bambini, or childrens

house, to describe her teaching method. Her work became famous very

rapidly in the United States by 1913, likely due to her ideas tying in to the

progressive politics of Theodore Roosevelt (Montessori 1964). The popu-

larity died off but began to re-surface in the 1960s and is beginning to

re-emerge again today.

Introduction

The Montessori Method of education developed by Dr. Maria

Montessori in the early twentieth century is perhaps the strongestexample of biophilic principles in education. Though the educationsystem is not intended exclusively to connect children with nature, ituses elements from the natural world to help students learn how to

learn. The Method itself is composed of several concepts that serve asthe underlying ideas for the way the children are set out to learn. Thisinvestigation into the history and workings of the Montessori Methodof education will provide an understanding into the typology and theo-retical premise for this thesis project.

Liberty

The most basic concept for the Montessori Method is the idea thatthe children are completely in charge of their learning. The children aregiven the choice of when, where, and how they complete their lessons.

The students may even complete the same lesson as many times as theywant. The intent behind this is that the child will become relaxed andfamiliar with a concept before beginning to learn another (Standing1962). In effect, the child will feel like they have become a master at aconcept and work with other students to develop it further.

The concept of liberty serves as the basis for the function ofthe other concepts. Though it is not to be thought of as a limitation,

the child really only has liberty within their house and the preparedlessons they can take on.

Prepared Lessons

The essence of the Montessori Method is the idea that childrenlearn best through various sensori stimuli, particularly touch. Childrenare given prepared lessons that teach concepts through hands-oninvestigation. These lessons deal with concepts such as countingnumbers and learning the alphabet, and are carried out with physicalobjects to represent the ideas themselves. For instance, children maylearn spelling by physically spelling out words with wooden letters.

The children are free to complete the lessons on their own time.This is only possible within the environment of the Montessori school,which must be designed and implemented carefully in order for thefree nature of the program to produce results. The term prepared en-vironment is used to describe the level of detail that must go into howchildren will interact with it.

Prepared Environment

It would take a book -- several books, in fact -- to describe allthe teaching materials to be found in a Montessori classroom, materialswhich vary according to the age of children. (Standing 1962). Standingis outlining the i mmense amount of thoughtful investigation that mustgo into designing the environment for the Montessori Method.


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53 The prepared environment refers to both the space used andthe objects within the space. This is where the principles of biophilic

design can help to enhance the learning environment. The environ-ment must serve the education system entirely, making it one of themost difficult aspects in a successful Montessori school. Nothing can bein the environment that does not contribute to the process.

What Standing touched on as well was the difference betweenage groups in the way the Montessori Method is carried out. Dr. Mon-tessori started to develop her method by working with children of el-ementary school age and younger, and the method has to adapt theway it teaches specifically to different age groups. It is not generally

broken down to kids of an exact age, as in traditional school. A spanof three years for age groups within a class is typical for a Montessorischool (Mathews 2007).

Montessori Pre-school

The teaching principles of the Montessori Method tie in wellwith children younger than elementary school as well. At this age,children are still most interested in only the sensory qualities of anobject (Standing 1962). What this means is that the children may notbe able to learn concepts beyond the simplest ones by playing withthe objects in the prepared environment. The prepared lessons forpre-school age children are not as intensive as those for elementaryschool are children, but the concept of the prepared environment is stillpresent.

The development of concepts from objects begins around theage between pre-school and kindergarten (Standing 1962). It is perhapsthat at this age the Montessori Method would have the greatest impacton a childs education, which may help to explain the existence of pre-school-only Montessori schools like the Montessori Childrens Center

case study in San Francisco.

Though, it is likely that the Montessori method is often used inpre-schools because more parents are willing to put their children inprivate pre-school than private grade school. A vast majority -- morethan 97% -- of Montessori elementary schools are privately-funded(Mathews 2007), though the number of publicly-funded Montessori

programs is increasing.

typological history

typological history

Public Schools

Dr. Montessori was a harsh critic of the typical public educationsystem. She uses the example of school desk design to explain whatshe sees as wrong with the traditional approach to education,

The schools were at first furnished with the long,

narrow benches upon which the children were

crowded together. Then came science and per fected

the bench. In this work much attention was paid to

the recent contributions of anthropology. The age of

the child and the length of his limbs were consideredin placing the seat and the desk was calculated with

infinite care, in order that the childs back should

not become deformed, and finally, the seats were

separated and the width so closely calculated that

the child could barely seat himself upon it, while to

stretch himself by making any lateral movements

was impossible. These desks are constructed in such

a way as to render the child visible in all his mobility.

One of the ends sought through this separation is

the prevention of immoral acts in the schoolroom.

(1964).

Dr. Montessori has, in a book originally written in 1912, effec-tively outlined the four principles of George Ritzers McDonaldizationof Society. The control principle is very prevalent, in that children are

not allowed to do anything besides sit straight up and look straightforward, and they cannot reach each other. The efficiency and calcula-bility principles are apparent in the approach to the design of the desksrelated to body size, and predictability dictates that children will sit thesame way at every public school to ensure an equal education.

The underlying concept in Dr. Montessoris writings is that tradi-tional schools have an unnecessary level of control over the students.

This control is in how the buildings are designed, how the furniture isdesigned, and how the teacher is expected to dominate the learningprocess by lecturing.

Keith and Willaims refer to this as an anti-democratic process

(2000) in their article titled Democrary and Montessori Education. They


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55go on to describe how the Montessori Method teaches children tothink democratically at an early age by filtering all learning through

the lens of peacemaking. They go on to argue that since peacemakingis expected to be used by both children and adults, it includes everyone(2000). This ethic is the basis for the teacher-to-student relationship inthe Montessori Method.

Directors and Directresses

The best way to describe the student-to -teacher relationshi pin the Montessori Method is that there isnt one. The adults that are

present to guide the students through their exploration, teachers ifyou will, are referred to as directors.

The role of the directors is exactly that: to provide direction. Thedirectors are never to punish nor reward the children, or to try to instilla sense of right and wrong. The director is to relate any question a childhas about their prepared lesson directly to the objects of the preparedlesson themselves, in such a way that the child has to learn how tocomplete the lesson.

Effectively, it is the role of the director to guide the childrento learn how to solve their problems exactly as they are, without anyexternal factors. This democratic approach is used in the process of com-pleting the planned lessons as well as in conflict resolution between

students, if necessary. To resolve a conflict, the children involved areasked to look each other in the eye, use each others names, tell eachother why they feel the way they do about the situation, then say whatit is they want the other to do (Keith and Williams 2000). In essence,the children are asked to do the same between themselves and theirprepared lesson.

Biophilia

Though the term biophiliadid not exist during the development

of the Montessori Method, it is very much a part of the educationalphilosophy. The children will in their prepared lessons care for plants,which leads them to approach the tending to the plants in the samedemocratic manner they would approach a conflict or planned lessoninvolving numbers.

typological history

The foremost concept underlying the tending of plants ispatience. The patience manifests itself not just in waiting for the plants

to grow, but in carrying out the labor necessary to get them growing inthe first place. Children begin to find a connection between the tasksthey undertake and the results of the effort - the fruits of their labor, ifyou will. This helps them to develop a virtue of patience, as well as alove of the natural world that they will carry with them their entire life(Montessori 1964).

An example of a person with a strong virtue of patience in arelated manner is a Oakland woman named Novella Carpenter. Novelladecided that her urban life was not going to let her get in the way of

her rural upbringing and decided she would like to grow her own food.To accomplish this, she simply turned to a vacant lot near her apart-ment and cleared it herself to initiate a garden. She grows countlessfruits and vegetables and even raises egg hens, rabbits, and goats onthe 4,500 square foot lot (Vlahos 2009). The owner of the lot has warned

Novella that he may develop the lot some day, but he does not carethat she is cultivating a squat garden on his land.

The driving force behind Novellas growing of these food itemsis just that she enjoys the virtue of knowing that she can sustain herown life. While Novella may not have been educated in a Montessorischool, she has certainly learned one of the most important life lessonsin the Montessori Method.

Conclusion

This explanation and discussion of the Montessori Method ofeducation developed by Dr. Maria Montessori is intended to show theparallels between the ethics of education and the view of the naturalworld. It is not difficult to equate the Montessori Method to biophil-ia when looking at the relationship between biophilia and biopho-

bia as a way of explaining negative aspects of traditional educationalmethods.

It is possible that the founder of McDonalds looked to theWestern education system when developing a business model thatallows for a rapid expansion of profits with tangible improvements invirtually nothing else.

typological history


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57project goals

Academic Goals

The main goal of this thesis project in the academic realm is toconduct a thorough research investigation of the connection betweenhumankind and the natural world, and to carry out the findings of thisresearch through an architectural exploration. The result of this goalwill be a book of the research and architecture bound and placed in theKlai/Juba Architecture Library at NDSU.

The final book will serve as an addition to the body of knowl-edge found in the thesis books of all students that have graduated fromthe program before. It is my hope that this book will provide insightinto the development of the thesis projects of students in the future.

In the academic environment, it is important to foster a discus-sion of ideas and concepts amongst the faculty and peers. Throughoutthis project, it is my goal to foster constant discussion of my projectand my peers projects, whether they are discussed verbally, in writing,graphically, or with models. I feel the process of discussion is the mostimportant aspect of a graduate program.

Professional

This project will demonstrate my ability to explain concepts andideas, conduct research, and carry out my best design abilities. It is thefinal project in the Masters Degree program and must reflect that myeducation hs provided me with the insight and skills needed to succeedin the professional environment.

What is very important in showcasing the results of my workon this project is an attention to detail, in both the writing, design, andpresentation. I will approach this project with the level of explorationof ideas befitting a graduate student but with an investigation of howthe building would go together.

I am confident that this project will be my best work, and willmake an addition to the portfolio of work done throughout my five

years at North Dakota State University.

project goals

Personal

The single most important thing I can accomplish with thisproject is to prove my abilities to myself. I have always thought of archi-tecture school, especially at the gratuate level, to be a personal investi-gation as much as it i s a research or design investigation.

Since the beginning of this thesis project, I have chosen to in-vestigate concepts related to design that are of great interest to me. Ifeel one of the greatest abilities of an architect is to design a responseto the site, whether they be social site conditions, climatic consider-ations, or political issues. I am also very interested in how architects canbring elements of nature into the built environment.

I have wanted to explore the design of an educationa l environ-ment since I first learned about the thesis project in my first year. I wasexcited to design a Montessori school as a second-year project, and amlooking forward to further exploration into the philosophy of the edu-cational system in an architectural manner.


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site analysis


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61Views

As this site is located in a regionwith virtually no slope to the land, theviews do not extend far past the sur-rounding structures. To the south ofthe site is a large gas station, and tothe west is the loading docks of in-dustrial building across the railroadtracks. To the north of the site lies asmall transmission shop in a CMUblock structure. The view providing

the most pedestrian activity is to theeast, with several buildings contain-ing small businesses and the ensuingfoot traffic. As a whole, views from thesite do not extend far from the local

area, and only a few trees peek out abovesurrounding structures. There is no view ofthe skyscrapers of Downtown Winnipeg fromanywhere on the site.

Structures

Buildings and other man-made con-structs dominate the views of and from thesite. The surfaces are best described as indus-

trial, or durable. CMU blocks comprise the

facades of entire buildings, and ribbsheet panels stand out above the cone the larger building to the eassmall houses are visible between tmercial buildings to the east. Overall tdense wall of buildings surroundingon all four sides. Several large signs dthe airspace of the site, as do the lighparking lot of the site itself. The struthe sign for the grocery store is visibl

least three blocks in every direction.

Nearly the entire suing area is taken up by buildpavement. The only relief fris the overgrown open grounthe railroad tracks.

The existing structurenearly the entire northern thisite. All wall surfaces of the sare masonry, with painted CMon the west, north, and east s

a fieldstone facade on the souThe south face of the buildingnated by glazing.

troduction

The site for this thesis investigationas chosen initially on the basis of its urban

ontext, located in an area with a level ofensity where the manmade environmentunders the natural. Also important to theeas discussed in the thesis research is thate site portray some aspect of Ritzers Mc-

onaldization of Societyin a way that can beddressed through the ethics of biophilicesign.

The site that was chosen is a smallafeway grocery store that was closed down

December of 2008. The store served theeople in the surrounding neighborhood,roviding a source of food within walkingstance even in the cold Manitoba winters.

The owners of the grocery store decided toclose this location to focus on developing

their larger, more profitable stores (Olafson2008). In the process, they have created afood desert in the West End neighborhood,as the next nearest grocery stoe lies roughly amile from the site in a large area of suburbansprawl.

A large vacant commercial site,referred to as a grayfield site, is desired forthis thesis examination because it repre-

sents the folly of the sort of overly-objectivedecision making that is prevalent in modernsociety. A grayfield site can come about dueto various reasons, but the empty storesand vacant, overgrown parking lots serve

as a reminder to the problems we are facingrelated to the environment.

site narrative

site narrative

otograph of site, looking Northeast across Ellice Ave. Photo by Mathias Fitzer.

View of small businesses to the east, with residential area

behind. Photo by Mathias Fitzer.

View of gas station and other low-lying structures to the south.

Photo by Mathias Fitzer.


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63The roof of the building is its most

riking feature, with a gentle wave form.

he roof structure is left exposed inside, withrge laminated beams supported by slimeel pipes at each third of the beams length.emnants of the fixtures and furniture frome buildings use as a grocery store are clearlysible on the floor surface.

ght

There is very little to block or reflectght in the area of the site. As most surfacese either paved or masonry, most lightabsorbed. The lack of any structures

ver one story in height south of the

te gives full sun exposure through-ut the day, which can become bright

no clouds are present.

One of the only reflectiveurfaces found near the site is therge expanse of glazing on the southce of the existing building on thete. Indirect sun angles can create arong reflection of light.

Vegetation

The site itself contains no vegetation,and only small hints of nature are presentaround the site. There is a view of trees oneblock away to the east and to the west, anda large expanse of brush along the railroadtracks. A small strip of grass separates theparking lot surface from the sidewalk.

It is inherently a goal of thisthesis project to re-introduce nativespecies of grass and other plants to

this site. Though, consideration will begiven to species that were not neces-

sarily native to this specific site, suchas large trees for shade and wind-blocking.

Wildlife

The only sign of animals nearthe site is what appears to be thetracks of an un-leashed dog throughthe snow in the parking lot. No area

around the site in its present state would bea suitable habitat for more than just a trace ofwildlife.

site narrative

site narrative

This can be seen as an opportunity to restore native wildlife tothis urban environment.

Wind

Standing in the open paved area of the site, there is very little toblock the wind. The strength and direction of wind on the site is slightly

erratic even in a light breeze, though it does not stray heavily from theprevailing direction. This is likely due to the scattering of low-rise build-ings around the site and the lack of any trees in close proximity to theopen area.

View of overgrown along east edge of site. The only hint this land used to be open prairie. Photo by Mat

ew into interior of existing structure through front windows.

oto by Mathias Fitzer.

Late afternoon light reflecting off glazing. Photo by Mathias Fitzer.


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eople

People have a reasonably strongesence in an area that is so dominated by

oncrete and asphault. People walking on thedewalk to and from shops are farily frequentnd people standing next to their cars at theas station provide signs of social life.

Nearly everything within the environ-ent of the site is man-made. It is more ap-opriate to ask how nature has intervened

n the manmade site than to ask how humansave intervened in the site.

As for the site itself, a completely

acant building will not have any visitors. Aw people had parked their cars in the cornerf the parking lot to visit the shops next door.he dusting of snow provided clues that a lotf people have driven diagonally across thete to avoid driving through the intersection

Wall St. and Ellice Ave., but no visible footaffic had crossed the site.

Distress

The entire site is in a slight state ofdistress, and clearly no maintenance hasbeen performed on the building or the landsince the business was shut down one yearprior. Most notable is peeling paint and a fewloose fieldstones on the building. The pavedsurface did not show any excessive cracking.

The connections on the building where thesigns had been attached are beginning torust.

A second area of distress is along the

eastern edge of the property. The brush alongthe railroad tracks are beginning to take overthe concrete dividing wall at the edge of thepaved area.

site narrative

South face of existing structure, showing its curved roof structure and lack

of recent maintenance. Photo by Mathias Fitzer.

Conclusion

Overall, this site presents many chal-lenges and opportunities in regard to thetheoretical premise and the typology. Themanmade nature of everything about the siteprovides opportunities to explore biophilicdesign in an area sorely lacking in naturalcontext.

site narrative

Photograph of grocery store in operation in 2008. From Panoramio.


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67 The site is bordered by power linespartially to the west and fully to the east.

Large power lines run along the opposite sideof Ellice Avenue. A large electrical box lies atthe southeast corner of the site, and anothernear the so

Documents

Montessori Design School