NUEVA School at Bay Meadows

Reflecting Nueva’s values as a private school with public purpose, these environments are intended to offer a repli- cable new model for all schools, helping to advance best educational practices tailored to the dynamic.

Pedagogical Model
The design incorporates extensive research into the spatial implications of learner- centered pedagogy, social / emotional learning, and collaborative, cross-disciplinary inquiry. The learning space is radically decentralized for today’s digitally-connected students, calling for a diverse landscape of learning environments capable of nimble adaptation to evolving educational needs while supporting creative engagement, nurturing mind / body wellness and fostering a strong academic community.

Program
Spaces include a variety of flexible classrooms and seminar spaces (indoors and outdoors), sophisticated science laboratories and tech shops, kitchen and dining facilities, gymnasium, student center, and a unique Writing & Research Center.

Site
The 2.75 acre site is located within Bay Meadows, a transit-oriented mixed-use development that repurposes a former horse racing track. A 12-acre public park is adjacent to the east, with high-density housing, office and commercial space under development on the surrounding blocks. A commuter train station and commercial district are within a 10-minute walk to the west.

Shared Facilities
The traditional suburban high school is reconsidered within this compact semi-urban context. Sharing existing public resources (playing fields, aquatic centers, research libraries, performing arts centers) engages students in their community and eliminates the space, cost and energy required to build and maintain new facilities. In turn, the school makes their own spaces available for public use.

Design
The school’s central values of strong community, mentoring and cross-disciplinary interaction are supported by a layered spatial matrix of overlooks, transparency and diverse gathering spaces. Learning spaces are generalized and distributed to create social/educational territories that de-emphasize association with particular knowledge domains. They “break down the silos” of learning. A variety of outdoor spaces extends this learning landscape and enhances daily connections to the community and the natural world. Economical, durable materials are deployed to tell the story of construction and encourage replication.

Modeling Low-Carbon Living
Designed to use 65% less energy than a typical high school and targeting LEED For Schools Gold certification, the campus is conceived as a “living laboratory” that will inspire student research into low-carbon, resource-efficient learning and living. Three story glass shafts penetrate the corridors, providing daylight and air while also affording visual connections between floors. A high- performance, naturally-ventilated building envelope, coupled with an 87 Kw photovoltaic canopy, contribute to advanced energy-efficiency. Rooftop organic gardens, learning landscapes, and a variety of bio-climatic design strategies anchor students in a strong sense of place and connect them the rhythms of nature.

PROJECT CREDITS

OWNER: The Nueva School
ARCHITECT: Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
PROJECT/CONSTRUCTION MANAGER: Lake Street Ventures
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Devcon Construction
CIVIL ENGINEER: Luk & Associates
STRUCTURAL: Tipping Mar
MEP: Integral Group
LANDSCAPE: Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture
LIGHTING: Architectural Lighting Design
ACOUSTICS: Charles M. Salter Associates, Inc.
AUDIO VISUAL: The Shalleck Collaborative, Inc.
FURNITURE: Marie Fisher Interior Design
LABORATORY: Design for Science
KITCHEN CONSULTANT: Patrick Stein & Associates