New Technology High School Napa, California High School Design Concept NTD Architecture 2008 Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture

New Technology High School Main Exterior Image

Existing Conditions Community Environment: New Technology High School (NTHS) opened its doors in 1996 in an abandoned elementary school built in the mid 70’s. The site was selected by the district to house a new curricular program to support the needs of the local and regional business community. The former elementary school was remodeled to provide instructional areas that allow clusters of students to study and learn from real world issues while applying core high school content areas in a facility with a professional work environment. The curriculum has become a national lighthouse for innovative project- based instruction that relies heavily on computer and digital technology. This focus has become the prototype for several schools in California and throughout the United States.

Exterior Views Community Environment: Continued… In November 2006 the voters of the Napa Valley Unified School District passed a bond to replace portable classrooms with permanent construction. The transformation of their existing facility would support evolving curriculum and joint-use partnerships with their district, Napa Valley Community College, New Technology Foundation, Regional Occupation Programs and the Rotary Club. The school site, located on Main Street and within walking distance of downtown Napa, provides opportunities to serve as a center for the community connecting both users of the facility and the visitors that tour the school on an annual basis. Traditional joint-use field components have been replaced with outdoor learning terraces that provides a sustainable teaching environment. This transformation allows everyone to embrace the uniqueness of what New Technology is all about.

Team Taught Classrooms Learning Environment: NTHS’s mission is to provide a technology- rich project-based learning environment that allows students to work both independently and with small groups on project assignments similar to a professional work environment. The transformation of the existing facility has provided an opportunity to improve the learning environment of the existing programs. Greater flexibility to support anticipated demands is achieved through the expansion of new construction. The majority of the classroom environments are based upon a team-taught approach designed to support 50 students and 2 instructors, integrating each of the individual programs, such as Government and English. To support this unique and intense academic environment, each classroom has a one to one student to computer ratio, the ability to meet both in large and small groups, presentation and display areas, storage and access to shared commons space. Thematic Landscape Environment Every classroom has an exterior learning terrace as an extension of the classroom. This provides direct access to thematic environments of: old fusion, renewable resource and xeriscape demonstration gardens, running trails and fitness stations, outdoor creative classrooms all with wireless connectivity. The circulation system has been designed as an extension of the learning environment which promotes socialization, provides access to technology, display and presentation areas. This occurs both formally and informally throughout the school and its surrounding site. These unique program opportunities support a variety of learning styles allowing each student the ability to attain mentorship and experience best suited to their educational development within the framework of the New Tech program.

Cyber Cafe Physical Environment: The vision of NTHS is to create an environment that is a reflection of the integration of technology and sustainability through an expression of culture and arts. For these students, the experience of learning takes place everywhere; the classroom, the hallway, the breakout spaces, the exterior gardens, the parking lots, and the bus stop. The centralized concept for the school transformation is based upon the celebration of their culture and arts. The Cyber Café is designed to provide a place of assembly for the performing arts, seating for dining activities, and an extension of the classroom for large and small group break out spaces. The location and unique design of the Café promotes the culture of the school as well as provides opportunities for learning to occur before, during and after school.

Commitment to Sustainability Physical Environment: Continued The Café design celebrates the commitment to sustainability by the integration of a solar photo-voltaic skylight system, physical expression of technology, mechanical and structural systems, and wireless access, all integrating in an interior landscape- themed a “technology jungle.” The single classroom building on the north side of the campus is designed as sustainable teaching architecture with its utilization of harvested energy from the Café’s skylight system, day-lighting, natural ventilation, sustainable building materials and a vegetated green roof. The project is being designed based upon the requirements of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools programs, showcased through: signage, cut-a ways, real-time display and meters, and incorporated into the course curriculum.

Steering Committee’s Site Awareness Walk Planning Process: The process to create the facilities master plan for the New Technology High School was in collaboration with a Steering Committee that included students, site and district staff, community members, architects and educational planners. The goal for the team was to determine how the educational needs of the New Tech curriculum could be supported and enhanced by a thoughtfully transformed school campus while maintaining operations throughout construction. The process began with the students and staff completing a post occupancy review of the existing school to identify how the environment supported their curriculum. These responses (over 200 were received) were used to characterize the trends, goals and resource requirements for the project. A site awareness walk was conducted which captured feelings, emotions and senses of the site and surrounding community. The team spent several days observing, discussing and inquiring about the curriculum, the facility and future goals for the program. Vision Implementation Plan The Steering Committee had rich discussions about the unique and successful relationships occurring between teaching and learning created in the school’s project- based curriculum. Priorities were discussed, evaluated and prioritized with this committee. Initial concepts were presented and evaluated by the planning team, entire student body, district staff and community members. The outcome of the master plan represents the culmination of the planning process and expresses how the built environment could respond to the curricular and programmatic requirements of New Technology High School. It achieves its project goals as established through the collaboration with the Steering Committee. As the design team moves forward, the collaborative process and interaction with students, staff and community members will continue to ensure the alignment of the vision and success of the project.

Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Data Submitting Firm :NTD Architecture Project RoleArchitect Project ContactJordan Knighton, AIA TitlePartner Address200 Auburn-Folsom Road, Suite 200 City, State or Province, CountryAuburn, CA Phone530/ Joint Partner Firm:N/a Project Role Project Contact Title Address City, State or Province, Country Phone Other Firm:N/a Project Role Project Contact Title Address City, State or Province, Country Phone Construction Firm:N/a Project Role Project Contact Title Address City, State or Province, Country Phone

Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Details Project Name New Technology High School City Napa State California District Name Napa Valley Unified School District Supt/President John Glaser, Ed.D. Occupancy Date Fall 2010 Grades Housed 9-12 Capacity(Students) 400 students Site Size (acres) 5 Acres Gross Area (sq. ft.) 18,000 SF Expansion, 23,000 SF Renovation Per Occupant(pupil) SF per Pupil gross/net please indicate 41,000 / 30,000 Design and Build? Yes If yes, Total Cost: $8m Expansion; $2.5m Renovation (est.) Includes: Program expansion and facility renovation with associated site improvements. If no, Site Development: Building Construction: Fixed Equipment: Other: Total: $10.5m Total Hard Costs, $14m Total Project Costs