The campus is among the first in the nation designed to accommodate the challenges of children with ASD. We spoke with New Jersey-based KSS Architects Partner Merilee Meacock, AIA, PP, LEED AP, about the landmark project and how biophilic design informed its genesis.

Q: What are the specific aspects of biophilic design that resonant with students on the autism spectrum?

Meacock: Visual connection to nature provides a positive impact on cognitive, psychological and physiological responses. It influences an individual’s mental health, performance and well-being. A wide range of health studies support that connection to nature has a profound impact on human fitness and quality of life. Exposure to nature can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, provide pain relief, improve illness recovery, accelerate healing, enhance staff morale and performance, and lead to fewer conflicts between individuals and caregivers.

The design of Bancroft’s Mount Laurel campus connects students, staff, and the community to nature through literal and figurative connections, visual connections to gardens and the outside landscape of the campus provides connection to circadian rhythms, peace and pleasure. The use of natural materials within the environment provide other sensory experiences, both calming and stimulating as needed for each student. Materials can affect student engagement, attitude, ability to relax, pay attention and aptitude for learning.

Access to the gardens and the pond provide complex sensory experiences, tapping into diverse fragrances, light, fluid sounds and variability in sensory patterns. As students explore the campus, a visual and form-based pattern language evoked in the use of biomorphic patterns — color coding, roof gable shapes — provides visual cues, allowing students to feel independent in a safe space and promoting emotional attachment to place.

Mental benefits of biophilic principles range from increased satisfaction and motivation to less stress and anxiety and improved problem-solving and creativity. Positive behavioral changes include improved coping and mastery skills, enhanced attention and concentration, lower hostility and aggression, and improved social interaction.

Q: What are the considerations in designing for this population versus neurotypical students?

Meacock: Individuals with special needs often have increased sensitivity to various ranges of light, sound and motion.

Often, individuals on the spectrum contribute to elevated levels of sound and movement in a space. There is a diversity in gross and fine motor skills and a wide range of the level of individuals’ understanding of social cues and context. Individuals may also experience a greater range of preferred communication methods that depend more on all five senses.

Although there are commonalities amongst individuals with ASD, each individual experiences different triggers and learning requirements. Adapting spaces and maintaining their flexibility, as well as providing clear and multi-sensory wayfinding and orientation cues, become of heightened importance.

Q: How does biophilic design address issues symptomatic of students on the spectrum — from light to noise and other environmental factors that can be stressors?

Meacock: The use of windows on the Bancroft project as well as the building configuration and consideration of diffuse and direct light balance daily and seasonal light cycles. Understanding that these cycles are part of setting a circadian rhythm that contributes to well-being is key to the design’s manifestation of light throughout the campus. Bancroft’s use of shades and window coatings further engages the users in providing choice — what pattern of light is right for me at what time. This is paralleled in the temperature controls and choices that users can engage in, promoting a sense of independence and customization.

Risk and peril is a biophilic pattern that offers users a sense of exhilaration through the intrigue and exhilaration of an implied threat, such as height. Elements such as interior and exterior playgrounds with climbing opportunities that allow students to concentrate on challenges, achieve success and confidently grow in their achievements are safe examples of risk and peril in action.

A space that incorporates mystery promotes anticipation and expectation. For Bancroft, we design school corridors that weave and build, creating an experience that allows for glimpses of what’s ahead, but requires exploration and curiosity to explore around corners. Similarly, the golden walk that serves as Bancroft’s entry sequence involves a sensory trail, water feature, views to athletics fields, music, art and retail areas, the sensory experience of the dining hall, all combining for a multi-sensory experience that builds on variability and discovery.

Balancing prospect and refuge can have the effect of creating free and open spaces while simultaneously offering individuals safety and comfort in grounded objects that promote rest and protectiveness. The design of Bancroft applies vast views to the acreage of campus — from the main lobby, one can engage with a vista of deer running through the field, the moon or sun rising, wildlife or people enjoying the quad. This sense of connection within a safe space offers individuals a sense of security and confidence.

Within the school areas, the design took a unique approach — providing small sensory rooms that offer students protective places to retreat to when overstimulated. Similarly, the housing design is configured with three distinct group spaces for families to gather for weekends or special occasions.

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“The project establishes Rutgers culturally as an anchor tenant in the 500,000-square-foot reincarnation of Hahne & Co., host and home to the arts in Newark,” said Jason Chmura, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, associate for Princeton, N.J.-based KSS Architects, the architect on the project. “The environment seeks to cultivate local artistic expression that resonates globally by facilitating public scholarship and community engagement, opening a new chapter in the diverse city’s cultural history.”

The new 50,000-square-foot Express Newark serves as an anchor in the historic building’s development, helping to enhance the city’s Arts Triangle that is currently bringing creativity and vibrancy back to the urban core. Express Newark includes a maker space, print shop, photo studio, two galleries, production studio, digital media and 3D printing, classrooms and editing labs, conference rooms and offices. Architectural partitions snake through the rigid existing column grid to make the space inviting and exciting for the community, according to Jordan Mrazik, RA, project architect for KSS Architects. In fact, community members can join in on weekly Art Break sessions that range from origami 101 to lectures on jazz music.

“Express Newark provides state-of-the-art interdisciplinary public learning spaces where artists, community residents and community partners will create visual, spoken word and electronic arts; foster democratic dialogue; and effect positive transformation,” Chmura said. “All the collaborations, experimentation and innovation are done in partnership with Rutgers faculty, staff and students.”

The lobby circulates around past amphitheater stairs to public forums, classes and photo shoots, while the monumental staircase also opens up the upper floors. The wooden amphitheater seating adds to the space as well, bringing an iconic lobby element that continues to enhance engagement and community. Additional combinations of flexible and fixed seating throughout the space give users the option to lounge, work or wait. Large-scale graphics, signage and displays further draw users into the many program elements, according to Chmura.

Another major space is the second-floor Newark Print Shop, which hosts an open Print Club every Wednesday for aspiring printmakers. Key to the print shop as a community tenant was visibility into and through from the main lobby, with space on walls for rotating art exhibitions, according to Mrazik. Its prime location near the entrance or building atrium puts the print shop’s activities on display for passersby, added Chmura.

“The team also planned for murals on the wall, celebrating work by local artists that represent the spirit of the print shop,” Chmura said.

One challenge the design team faced included designing within the historic building’s rigid existing structure. The team had to get especially creative when designing enough room for the heavy-duty letterpress machines and behind-the-scenes storage space necessary for the print shop.

The project was unique in that it was a multifaceted partnership between institution, developer, faculty and staff, architects, community residents, businesses and artists. “This project was the first time so many users from various places were coming together,” Chmura added. “The design process had to unify the voice all under the traditional project stakeholders and institutional process.”

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Princeton, N.J.-based KSS Architects in partnership with Boston-based Goody Clancy Architects and Andropogon Associates of Philadelphia designed the Rohrer College of Business, which is the first building on campus solely dedicated to business programs. It is specifically designed to accommodate a collaborative way of learning for students, faculty and business owners with transparent, fluid spaces that are both professional and inviting.

The building’s defining feature is a public art installation created by Oregon-based artist Ed Carpenter that is located on the facility’s west end. Made of stainless steel, aluminum and laminated safety glass, the piece stands as a colorful focal point during the day and glows at night. It serves as both a physical and metaphorical gateway to the campus, according to a statement.

“This new Rohrer College of Business serves as the pivotal gateway to the university,” said Pamela Lucas Rew, FAIA, partner at KSS Architects, in a statement. “It is a beacon, literally and symbolically expressing Rowan’s commitment to academic excellence and its investment in the region’s future.”

The main goal of the new College of Business is to accommodate a growing regional student population and to attract students from across the country. Ali A. Houshmand, the university’s president, set a 10-year growth plan for the institution that includes doubling the undergraduate business enrollment, reported The Philadelphia Inquirer. The university plans to do this by adding degree programs and co-curricular programs that will foster relationships between business owners and students. While the school has had an MBA program, it also this year introduced a master’s degree in finance and a hybrid, online/on-campus MBA program out of the Rowan College at Burlington County campus in Mount Laurel.

The new business school facility features several spaces to accommodate these new programs and enhance the student experience. Not only does it feature classrooms, conference rooms and office facilities, the building is home to several new amenities such as the Trading Room, a space that includes a ticker tracking the market in real time, reported NJ.com. The Center for Professional Development on the first floor will help students prepare for the job market, while the Hatch House on the second floor promotes entrepreneurship and the Center for Responsible Leadership (also on the second floor) encourages sustainability and inclusivity alongside profit, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Throughout the facility, there are also 23 collaboration rooms for students to conduct work.

Almost $46 million of the $63.2 million building was funded by a state fund for higher-education construction and infrastructure projects, anchored by a $750 million bond approved by voters in a 2012 referendum, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The business school building is one of two major construction projects at the university being funded by the state bond. Located across from the business school, the other facility is a 90,500-square-foot addition to the engineering school, which also debuted in January.

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As the race to see who can create the greenest school continues, School Construction News spoke with Jason Chmura, AIA, LEED AP, an associate at Princeton, N.J.-headquartered KSS Architects, about his work as a leader of the firm’s Sustainability Design Practice Group. In a slew of recent projects, Chmura pushed for advancements in building performance, equipment, and energy use in both K-12 and higher education projects. Here he discusses current trends and advantages to building green.

Q: What sustainable educational facility projects are you currently working on?

Chmura: We recently completed a facility for the Gottesman RTW Academy in Randolph. The project featured site-harvested stone, sunshades, photovoltaic panels and rain gardens. It features a number of monitoring systems that help frame the curriculum for Pre-K-8 students. We have a grand opening for Rutgers University’s Express Newark facility in Newark, N.J., next week, which is a 43,000-square-foot reuse of a 100-plus-year-old department store in downtown Newark. The project is significant as to its social sustainability, whereupon the symbiotic uses of the building as commercial, educational and residential will contribute to its long-term success and reactivation of the neighborhood.

We also wrapped up a 120,000-square-foot charter school for KIPP New Jersey also in Newark this September, which implemented a substantial energy recovery system as part of the HVAC design. This had immense cost savings for the project in addition to contributing to the efficiency of the building. There were savings both to the mechanical and plumbing systems as a result, but also the structural system(s) as we significantly decreased the sizes of the rooftop units.

Currently, I am overseeing the rehab of a 100-year-old former trolley barn to serve as a new gymnasium, which again reuses an existing, aging structure to provide new facilities for a school. The project features porous (pervious concrete) for stormwater control and a (Kalwall) panelized insulated glazing system.

Q: How do these projects reflect the national trend of building educational facilities to be more environmentally sustainable?

Chmura: If I had to speak to a trend, I would note the increase in the reuse of existing structures, especially in an urban environment. A component of the LEED rating system since its inception, building reuse is an often-overlooked attribute with huge potential. Not only are you decreasing (eliminating) landfill waste, you stand to reinvigorate and activate sites and buildings that may be standing vacant. Further, many of our clients are actually looking beyond the cost savings — which are often in favor of new construction — to find sites that will both benefit from development and help support the mission of the school.

Q: What key advantages do schools have when they are built to sustainable standards?

Chmura: When the standards are implemented to prescribe occupant comfort or wellness, it’s a no-brainer. There are plenty of studies that link student participation, faculty performance and overall achievement with healthy learning environments. Additionally, when the design and technology that are part of sustainable design are analyzed and become part of the curriculum, it has an effect on the students like nothing else.

Q: What are the top three sustainable-building recommendations you have for schools that want to be more efficient on a budget?

Chmura: Integrate daylight harvesting and energy recovery systems, and use salvaged or reused materials.

Q: What do you believe is the future of sustainable educational facility projects?

Chmura: The most successful educational facilities will rely on heavy incorporation of high-performance technology into their curriculum. The next generation of students will continue to crave hands-on learning experiences. Sustainable design will become a necessity, and young minds will thrive in an environment where they are fully immersed in their own laboratory throughout the day.

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The $26.5 million project expands upon the network, offering a newer, less conservative design. Not only did KIPP:NJ want more classroom space, but it also wanted more public space and a strong emphasis on athletics — with an athletic field and a gymnasium incorporated, as well as space for students to practice mind and body wellness.

Boonton, N.J.-based Phelps Construction Group started construction of the school in September 2015. The firm provided pre-construction, construction management and design-build services, with Princeton, N.J.-based KSS Architects serving as the architect. The new facility features classrooms, science rooms, a performing arts area, a library and a full-service kitchen. Its gymnasium, cafeteria and turf field are also available to students as well as to the local community during off hours.

“The school made strategic decisions to make more ‘net-to-grow’ space that can be used for much more purposes that the students really benefit from,” said Merilee Meacock, AIA, LEED AP, partner for KSS Architects.

Double the Population

The school was originally designed as a three-story building with an adjacent gym, but KIPP:NJ decided to double its population to allow more students to benefit from its two rare amenities for urban schools: an athletic field and parking. As such, KSS Architects and Phelps Construction Group worked together to find a cost-effective way to add an additional two floors for future classroom space over the proposed gymnasium.

The final design includes a long four-story building, which features residential-sized windows in order to work with the scale of neighboring buildings. The building is split into two wings — one containing a cafeteria, office space and library with three levels of classrooms above, and the other containing the two-story gymnasium and two floors of classrooms that have yet to be fitted out.

Sports & Community

Like several urban charter schools within the school district, Newark Collegiate Academy teaches students about healthy eating as well as encourages yoga and meditation. “A lot of charter schools try to support the family not just the students,” said Meacock. “This particular school was very focused on athletics.”

Before building the collegiate academy, however, students had to take a bus to get to athletic facilities, which meant more time in transit and less time on the field. This emphasis on dedicated time for athletics and wellness became a major focus for the facility and yet another opportunity for community engagement.

Technology & Efficiencies

For this project, Phelps said that the project team saw a lot of emphasis on well-equipped science and art classrooms, and even traditional classrooms feature smart boards and other modern teaching technologies. Meacock added that the KIPP:NJ network uses iPads dispersed from iPad carts that can move throughout the facility.

“They’re making [technology and design] decisions that include much more amenities,” Meacock said.

With regard to technology, ample communication and data infrastructure was built into the school, according to Phelps. That includes smart boards and wireless connections for computer use, but also behind-the-scenes mechanical systems and energy recovery units on the roof.

Phelps added that lighting throughout the building is extremely efficient and works in tandem with the building’s unique design. All classroom light fixtures are high-performance recessed 2×4 units, which help eliminate shadows in low-ceiling applications, while the corridor’s linear fixtures play on the building’s unique angles. This concept also carried into the gym where the linear fixtures are suspended from the structure in an angled pattern and are not typical dome fixtures.

With all of the advanced design elements and technologies, the project created a variety of spaces that encourage students to learn outside the confines of traditional education, while also welcoming public involvement. It’s a win-win for both KIPP:NJ and the local community.

Read more about the Newark Collegiate Academy project in the November/December issue of School Construction News, now available.

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PHILADELPHIA — The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia held a grand opening event on Oct. 28 for its new 58,000-square-foot innovation lab, cleverly dubbed Pennovation Center. Previously owned by DuPont, the building was transformed into a combination of wet labs, co-working areas and social spaces. These key design elements were created to serve three purposes: to make the facility a catalyst for learning, an incubator for commerce and a beacon for the community.

The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia held a grand-opening event on Oct. 28 for its new 58,000-square-foot Pennovation Center.“This is a unique business and technology incubator where innovators’ ideas go to work,” said Anne Papageorge, vice president of Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services, in a statement. “The center is designed to bring together the university’s eminent researchers and students, along with the private sector, to foster creative exploration, entrepreneurship, new alliances and generate economic development for the region.”

New York-based Hollwich Kushner served as the project’s design architect, while locally based KSS Architects was the architect of record. The building’s angular facade reaches outward towards the Schuylkill River, with a plaza situated in the center that features a combination of fixed and moveable seating. With approximately 200 desks distributed throughout, the building’s interior also features several components that help encourage innovation: ample break spaces; wide, daylit hallways that double as program spaces; and flexible, moveable furnishings.

“Entrepreneurs thrive on invention,” said Matthias Hollwich of Hollwich Kushner in a statement. “That means a lot of dedicated time spent in labs hunched over workbenches and computers. We wanted to create a building that encouraged the innovators to get up from their desks, to pitch their ideas and socialize with their colleagues. That’s why we took all of the social action of the building and packed it into the spiky geometric façade.”

Since opening, 20 different companies and more than 150 individuals — researchers in pharmacology, medicine, robotics and environmental studies — have already taken up shop in the Pennovation Center. The first two floors of the building incorporate the co-working spaces, wet labs and shared amenities. The third floor is home to the Penn Engineering Research and Collaboration Hub (PERCH), designed to help the university create lab-to-market technologies that will transfer in areas such as robotics, the “Internet of things,” embedded systems and other emerging domains of interdisciplinary engineering.

PERCH is a space designed to encourage active learning, project-based learning and connected learning. For instance, students can collaborate on a larger-than-life robotic arm, a pet-sized robot that can jump and a GPS-robot hybrid technology that can navigate indoor spaces, according to a statement.

The Pennovation Center is this first phase of the larger-scale, 23-acre Pennovation Works development. The area was once a heavy industrial site that now supports the research and entrepreneurial mission of both university clients and third-party commercial tenants. Landscaping for the site will include stormwater management, increased connections between buildings and access to the Schuylkill River trails, according to the project website.

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