BUILDING FOR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY - Kennedy Bibliothek

ut the ungraded home base system allows the greatest possible flexibility
in terms of learning style and speed.
Architecture and Urban Design
59. In each of the three cases discussed in this section, the original
impetus for the co-ordination of various social services came from the
necessity for new educational facilities. The practical decisions which
had to be taken in terms of programming for the centers probably hastened
the process of re-organisation and co-ordination at the administrative
level considerably. Problems on this level are often considered more
important by the user than architectural and technical problems which seem
to range at the very end of the priority scale - mainly after the facility
has been built. However, a comparison of the architectural solutions, found
in each of the three cases, proves that the urban design and architectural
solution may well be a help or hindrance to the goal of co-operation and
shared or joint use of the facility. Of particular importance are:
a) location and accessibility;
b) overlap and proximity of various uses; and
c) materials and detail.
a) Location and Accessibility
60. More than traditional schools, the educational and community center
which is meant to become a focus for community life and regeneration needs
to be visible and accessible. Its location, therefore, is of critical
importance in respect to its multi-use functions. Both Dunbar and to an
even greater extent HRC realise this new demand in providing public
thoroughfares or pedestrian links, not only across the site, but also
through the building. Dunbar's fountain forum, situated between the new
high school and community .center, elementary school, day care center and
health center, enjoys heavy use during the summer when it becomes a major
focus of community life (see Figure 5).
61. In the HRC, community facilities and pedestrian.link are situated on
the upper level and school facilities below. The pedestrian street- -
beautifully lit, open and inviting - never quite became the center of urban
life envisaged by the architects, due to the lack of residential and
commercial density at either end. The scale of the large building,
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