Westwood Elementary School

1. 2008 Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture Westwood Elementary School San Diego, California Elementary School Lighthouse Renovation NTD Architecture

2. Westwood Elementary School

3. Westwood Neighborhood Community Environment The neighborhood of Westwood is situated within the planned community of Rancho Bernardo in San Diego County among a topography of canyons and rolling hills. The community features a plethora of housing, shopping malls, golf courses and office parks.

4. Connecting to the Community Community Environment When Westwood Elementary was initially constructed, the District was in the process of developing numerous campuses in a similar round configuration. The expansion of this campus proves difficult due to its closed circular geometry. Challenges in this design were overcome by incorporating a masterplan that reflects a break in the circular mold, allowing for both expansion and renovation while maintaining a cohesive appearance. As the school had lost a sense of connection with the community, planning efforts placed a major focus on redesigning the front entrance of the school to reconnect it with the Westwood neighborhood, giving it the appearance of a brand new school that the community could be proud of.

5. Facility Conversions Learning Environment Challenge Undersized and aging Library and lack of Resource Rooms for existing Classrooms Concept Existing Library converted to Computer Lab and two Resource Rooms Challenge Undersized and aging MPR/Food Service Concept Construct new MPR/Food Service. Convert old MPR to Library Existing Library New Computer Room Existing Multipurpose Room New Library

6. Connecting the Old with the New Learning Environment Challenge Campus no longer supported District standards Aging Existing Classrooms and Infrastructure Concept Construct new Resource Rooms for Collaborative Teaching in between new and existing classrooms Modernize existing classrooms to create a seamless campus where new and existing campus connect

7. Kindergarten, Joint-Use MPR Physical Environment Kindergarten was placed adjacent to parking, administration, and student drop-off, and is equipped with its own outdoor play area. Classrooms each feature their own student restroom. A new Multipurpose Room/Food Service building was constructed to replace the former facilities, which were insufficient to accommodate the increased number of students. The Multipurpose Room utilizes a joint use agreement between the District and Parent/Teacher Association. Before

8. Before & After • Physical Environment • Challenges • Confusing Entry • Loss of Context • Lack of Security • Concepts • Redefined Entry • Renewed Sense of Ownership • Provide Health, Safety, and Security After Concept Before

9. Enhanced Masterplan Planning Process Initial planning for the Westwood Elementary School Transformation stemmed from the need to re-evaluate and confirm previous SFID Bond programming and planning efforts. NTD Architecture participated in six separate meetings with planning group members to determine programming needs, architectural design standards, and projected enrollment figures for the school. The process resulted in a new campus masterplan that will allow for additional future expansion and enhances the context of the Westwood community.

10. Playful Details: Creating Relatable Architecture Planning Process Challenge Loss of student connection with architecture Concept Create playful architecture that students can relate to formally and spatially to encourage creativity.

11. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Data

12. Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Details