Journal Entry for Beyond Sight Preparatory School

Beyond Sight Preparatory School is grounded in the genius of nature. The team used the lens of biomimicry to create the concept. Biomimicry is when humans look to nature from a functional perspective in order to emulate forms, processes, or systems.  The team researched numerous inspirational organisms that solved the design challenge of creating non-visual communication methods and how to organize the building. Eventually the star-nosed mole proved to be the best mentor. Due to evolving small optic nerves and eyes that can only detect areas of light and dark, they create an extensive underground habitat. Since the constraints of a visually impaired school were similar, the team decided to put the entire school underground except for a central courtyard/playground. In addition to being able to always control the amount of light within the classrooms since there are no exterior windows, by building the structure underground it allows for a high insulation value and better interior acoustics.  Nature is also allowed to thrive on the site as well with a 93% ground cover. The star-nosed mole also provided inspiration for the team’s innovative sensory accessory. The star-nosed mole gets its name from a star shaped appendage on its face that acts as an extremely sensitive hand and allows the organism to find food, mates, and navigate its underground tunnel system. Using biomimicry to metaphorically emulate this concept, the team created a specialized accessory that allows the inhabitants of the school to navigate and understand their surroundings without the use of sight. This takes the form of enhancing the student’s sense of hearing.  Earbuds are given to every student and they are synced with Bluetooth trackers placed throughout the school.  Therefore the earbuds, once in range of a specific tracker, will alert the student that they are approaching their classroom, or the nature lab, or the cafeteria. Students and educators will also have Bluetooth trackers attached to their clothing so students will be alerted (similar to a car’s audio GPS instructions) that their friends are approaching.  This system gives them a highly sensitive appendage/accessory that utilizes sound to supplement their visual impairment.  This system will evolve based on how long the student has been attending the school. Once students feel comfortable in the building, they will start to utilize the other methods to navigate and discover the school.

The team focused on the sense of touch, sound, and smell to add layers of information about the building. Surrounding the entire central courtyard on both Level One and Level Two is a continually moving water feature with aquatic plants.  The sound of water will help orient the students to where they are if they get disoriented. The team also included numerous tactile elements to help communication location within the building. Changes in flooring material that create different sensations when walked upon or when touched with a support cane (such as rubber or tile or artificial grass) will help communicate when a student is in front of a door that they might need to enter. In addition to the flooring transitions, the handrails of both staircases have braille embedded in them in order to communicate how many more steps there are left before reaching the desired floor. As a way to help younger children start to utilize their sense of touch, a peg board that teaches Pre-Braille Curricula lessons is installed in the circulation space outside of their classrooms (kindergarten and first-grade). These multi-sensory spaces help the students to understand size, weight, and spatial relationships. For the older students the sense of smell and sound are also included in the elements that are meant to go into the peg board to teach them about potentially harmful as well as pleasant smells and sounds. The sense of smell is also utilized around the cafeteria, to help signal to the students it is lunch time and that they are approaching that space, as well as pumping the smell of coffee directly in front of the teacher’s lounge to signify a staff-only room.

The school uses a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) framework. In addition to the classroom neighborhoods (all similar grades are clustered together), there are specialized learning labs and classrooms. These rooms include a technology lab, life-skills lab, art, music, a stage between the cafeteria and gymnasium for performances, and a nature lab adjacent to the outdoor courtyard. The nature lab will connect the students to the planet where they will learn about environmental science and also how to manage a flower, fruit, and vegetable garden where the students will be able to enjoy the literal fruits of their labor.

The team planned for a maximum of forty-five students per grade equaling a little over 400 students in the entire school, however it is anticipated that less students will be enrolled when the facility first opens allowing for expansion. The lower grades have more classrooms so there will be a higher student to teacher ratio compared to the upper grades. The staff includes a language specialist for foreign students and a family services specialist to act as a guidance counselor.  There is also an office for a technology support supervisor due to the innovative technological portions of the school.  These offices are located within an administrative neighborhood near the entrance to the school. As a respite from teaching, there is a teacher’s lounge on Level Two that also has a staff only outdoor space that overlooks the courtyard. The courtyard has a protected playground that includes equipment that utilizes touch, smell, and sound in the forms of unique equipment, pleasant smelling plants, and a water feature.