Minooka Community High School

South CampusChannahon, Illinois

High SchoolProject of Distinction – New Construction

STR Partners LLC

2009 Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture

Minooka Community High School South Campus

Main Exterior Image

Main Entrance

Community Environment:

Having failed 4 referenda prior to success in 2006, the Minooka Community High School District 111 was very sensitive to the community’s perception of the new building. The community had not constructed a new high school building since 1970, 33 years ago, and its student population was exploding. Following the election of four new Board Members in Spring 2005, the community believed its values and interests would be well represented. The new Board, administration, educational staff, students, all local government and community members worked with STR to revise their previous high school design to incorporate the values of participants. Also a referendum strategist was engaged for voter research to position the District for referendum success.

3-Story Academic Wing

Community Environment: Continued

To address the Community’s objectives of fiscal responsibility, economy and an emphasis on education, the building design evolved, over time, to become a compact, no-nonsense layout emphasizing educational spaces.

Incorporated in the design are bike paths, decorative screening of adjacent residential properties, and roadway modifications for traffic safety. The new building’s facilities, such as the gymnasiums and cafeteria, are made available to the community and were designed such that community access would be possible without sacrificing building security. Outdoor play fields and naturally landscaped prairie habitats are accessible to community members.

The new high school anchored both residential and commercial developments along the state route where it is located.

Tiered Technology Classroom

Learning Environment:

An indication of the school district’s progressive approach to education is its integration of technology into curriculum. Throughout the process, the Technology Director was actively involved in ensuring that accommodations for technology now and in the future would be included in the building design. The building is equipped throughout with wireless and hard-wire connectivity, allowing students, teachers and administrators access throughout the building. All classrooms are outfitted with flat-panel monitors and “Smartboards.” Labs are equipped with ceiling mounted projectors. Classroom design, with the exception of science and other labs were conceived to be universal teaching spaces, allowing for a variety of instructional uses and the potential for changing educational delivery methods. Most typical classrooms are located on the building’s perimeter with large windows to the outside. Science and other lab-type spaces are located in the core of the building for flexibility of having significant wall space available for cabinets and equipment.

Learning Center

Learning Environment: Continued

Two ground-level art rooms share storage space and a kiln. A small greenhouse and two classroom on the south side accommodate the horticulture program. The learning center is located as a double height space starting on the academic wing’s second floor. The learning center’s location and openness conveys access and availability to students. The district’s robust sports program is reflected in the building’s two gymnasiums, weight and fitness rooms and health classrooms, built in Phase I.

Cafeteria

Physical Environment:

Because of Illinois’ long winter, natural light played an important part in the genesis of the building. Classrooms were designed with large windows. Exit and interconnecting stairs include either skylights or curtainwall glazing. The cafeteria dining space is illuminated with a glass clerestory. Both the competition gym and auxiliary gym admit diffused light through translucent clerestory panels. The building’s exterior was designed to present a crisp clean appearance. Two colors of face brick, aluminum window frames and blue-green high- performance glass, metal panels and siding and load-bearing precast panels were incorporated into the composition of the building’s exterior. Highlighting public spaces, such as the cafeteria, entry lobby and interconnecting stair, on the interior is the same face brick used on the exterior.

Interior Corridor

Physical Environment: Continued

Incorporating lessons-learned from their existing 1970’s high school, the corridors of the new school are wide, allowing for ease of movement during passing periods. The cafeteria space is generous to permit the use of round tables to promote student interaction and social etiquette. Two levels of illumination are available in classrooms to teachers in response to the variety of teaching methods and media used. Horizontal sliding fire doors on the ground floor, function both as fire separation and as a means to separate and secure the 3-story academic wing from the public areas of the school during non-school hours to allow maximum use by the community and for athletic events.

Plantings of native plant materials in storm water detention areas were conceived as prairie environments and habitats for wildlife.

Science LabPlanning Process:

Having lived with and knowing intimately the

shortcomings of their existing high school and its

campus, Board of Education members,

administration and staff had many meetings with

STR Partners to convey their concerns and

requirements for the new building. The District had

developed a robust educational program and an

enviable technology plan and was very eager to

create a new facility tailored to their programs.

Bonding limitations and enrollment projections

dictated that the facility be phased. At the outset

the District determined that Phase I should focus on

providing academic spaces for 2,000 students, while

providing the infrastructure for future phases.

Several meetings between the District

Administration, Board of Education, community

construction manager and the architect’s team

(Building Committee) were held to prioritize

programmatic and building requirements in light of

budget, scheduling and grade levels to be housed in

the building.

Auxiliary Gymnasium

Planning Process: Continued

Through this very interactive process, the school’s academic focus was expressed in a prominent three-story academic wing. To reflect the “transparency” and accessibility to administrators, the office portions feature large glass areas visible to the public.

Traffic safety, a very important concern, was manifest in separate bus and car drop-off/pick-ups and with intensive meetings with the village, adjacent residents and the Illinois Department of Transportation to ensure good, safe traffic flow both on and off site.

During construction, monthly meetings of the District’s Building Committee were held to ensure continuity of support by of decision making personnel, design professionals and construction professionals. During the “break-in,” close-out and post occupancy periods, the Building Committee continued to play a role in reinforcing and conveying success in meeting project objectives.

Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Data

Submitting Firm : STR Partners LLCProject Role ArchitectProject Contact Jan T. Taniguchi, AIA, CEFPI, REFP, LEED APTitle PrincipalAddress 350 W. Ontario Street, Suite 200City, State or Province, Country Chicago, IL 60654Phone 312-464-1444

Joint Partner Firm:Project RoleProject ContactTitleAddressCity, State or Province, CountryPhone

Other Firm:Project RoleProject ContactTitleAddressCity, State or Province, CountryPhone

Construction Firm: Turner ConstructionProject Role Construction ManagerProject Contact Gary HillTitle Project ExecutiveAddress 55 E. Monroe Street, Suite 3100City, State or Province, Country Chicago, IL 60603Phone 312-327-2860

Exhibition of School Planning and Architecture 2008 Project Details

Project Name  Minooka Community High School – South Campus

City  Channahon

State Illinois

District Name  Minooka Community High School District 111

Supt/President  Dr. David Middleton

Occupancy Date  August 2008

Grades Housed  9-10

 

Capacity(Students)  2000 students

Site Size (acres)  67 acres

Gross Area (sq. ft.)  279,000 sf

Per Occupant(pupil)  139.50 SF/Student

gross/net please indicate  Gross

 

Design and Build?  No

If yes, Total Cost:  

Includes:  

 

If no,  

Site Development:  $ 3,983,000

Building Construction:  $41,608,000

Fixed Equipment:  $ 2,901,000

Other:  $ 4,433,000

 

Total:  $52,925,000

Phase 1 Site Plan

Phase I was planned to accommodate 2,000 students in grades 9 and 10. As the population increases, the building will covert to a stand along 9 through 12 high school.

Future building phases will include a field house, auditorium, music department, culinary arts and drivers education. Future site phases will include a football/soccer stadium, track, baseball stadium, softball stadium, practice fields parking and traffic signalization.

Art ClassroomCompetition Gymnasium

Entry Canopy Flanked by Administrative and Counseling Offices