INSIDE OUT

University of Houston, Design Build, 2019.

A team of six students created construction and fabrication drawings along with graphic representation to create the Inside Out Classroom, which completed construction in the Fall of 2022. The Frank Black Middle School Outdoor Classroom seeks to employ the existing natural environment in the school’s Arboretum as a new atmosphere to promote various subjects traditionally taught in the classroom to further enhance the Vanguard level curriculum.

The building design captures existing shade on site and provides it own to extend classroom usage for longer periods of time during the day, and water collection and conservation encourages and displays Green Building practices. Environmental curiosity is encouraged through a lack of walls meant to utilize surroundings as a backdrop for learning, while maintaining student safety through visibility. Site arrangement accommodates future development plans for the Arboretum and utilizes teaching posts around the structure for less structured classroom dynamics and the opportunity for multiuse from multiple classes. The design is meant to support environmental concerns brought up by clients and student insight, in addition to abstract representation of the school. An instinctual response evoked from the Outdoor Classroom promotes the school as an icon and steadfast member of the community with a rich history and an optimistic future for further growth.

All images are personal contributions, with the last 3 images supplemental to the project design from other students.

Press: https://stories.uh.edu/2022-outdoor-classroom/