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Education Facilities
Natural light and education facilities go hand-in-hand. Numerous studies have shown the benefit that access to daylight can have on student attentiveness and performance, teacher and staff wellbeing, and energy savings.
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Grover Cleveland Charter School
Bringing Learning Environments into the Light
Multiple daylighting strategies help reinvigorate a 1960s school.
Project Background
Grover Cleveland High School was built in 1961 to accommodate 1,500 students. The original campus exemplified the mid-century style prevalent at the time and consisted of single-story classroom buildings with low-pitched roofs arranged in a finger-style layout, linked by a central covered walkway. This design scheme was a common feature in the rapidly growing Southern California communities.
The Los Angeles Unified School District's campus created a new plan that included seven new buildings, which would add over 176,000 square feet—more than doubling the square footage of the existing facilities. The new buildings would provide space for performing arts, general and special education classrooms, science labs, drafting and engineering labs, a multimedia classroom, food service and dining, childcare and campus support services. Additionally, the plan called for the modernization of two existing classroom buildings and a retrofit of the gymnasium.
Architecture firm, PBWS Architects, was chosen by the district and challenged with the task of creating a modern campus infused with biophilic elements that still honored the original mid-century design of the campus. To do so, the design team would need to implement an effective daylighting design.
Skylights Light the Way
Creating Visually Exciting Spaces
To help introduce natural light, and be true to the biophilic design goals, PBWS Architects used QuadSpan™ translucent polycarbonate skylights as well as other daylighting systems and expertly integrated them into the facility's design.
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Daylighting with Function
Kingspan Light + Air products are designed and engineered for long-term durability and can be custom designed to fit your project’s needs, including easy maintenance. UniQuad® translucent walls and QuadSpan™ (formerly Quadwall®) skylights feature removable skin technology, where individual exterior or interior panels can be removed and replaced without disturbing the surrounding panels or structure—making maintenance and replacement easier.
By utilizing the translucent wall and skylight systems, the campus is illuminated with soft, diffused natural light, avoiding harsh glare or heat caused by direct sunlight.
Classrooms Benefit from Daylight
Mixing translucent and transparent glazing offers the best of both worlds.
Some classrooms are lined with UniQuad® translucent walls, while others are accompanied by glass glazing, allowing for light control plus views to outdoor spaces, helping enhance the experience and connect building occupants to nature.
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Designing for Social Interaction
Interior circulation spaces were designed for social interaction. As a result of the thoughtfully planned daylighting design, corridor alcoves, breakout areas and seating spaces under stairs offer students a bright place to retreat without feeling isolated from the main social areas. These areas of refuge, along with lobby railings and corridor windows, provide opportunities for students to observe campus activities and engage with nature from a distance.
PBWS Architects created a comprehensive modernization of Grover Cleveland Senior High School, transforming the 1961 campus into a contemporary and light-filled 21st-century learning environment that pays homage to its mid-century heritage while improving campus life for both students and faculty through biophilic design—all while meeting the school district’s stringent requirements for security, ease of maintenance and durability.
Creating Flexible Outdoor Spaces
Translucent canopies can help create flexible learning + socializing spaces.
This Briteway® canopy shields students from the sun and elements during lunchtime hours, but the space can also be easily converted into overflow learning and multi-use space.
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Additional Information
- Product: QuadSpan™ Skylights, UniQuad® Walls and Briteway® Canopy
- Sales Representative: Pacific Architectural Concepts
- Installer: Full Spectrum
- Architect: PBWS Architects
- General Contractor: Kemp Brothers Construction
- Images by Benny Chan/Fotoworks
Related Articles + Case Studies
Select daylighting design information and project spotlights related to education facilities.
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Daylighting in Education and Sports Facilities
Examining the benefits of properly designed daylighting and the positive impact natural light can play in these types of spaces.
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Grover Cleveland Charter School
Multiple daylighting strategies help reinvigorate a 1960s school.
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Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School
A mixed glazed system of FRP and glass allows for a combination of ventilation and glare control while also preserving the pleasant views of the school’s courtyard and surrounding landscape.
Contact Us
If you have questions about our products, need technical or design assistance or simply want to find out if your project's daylighting design is feasible and budget-friendly, contact us via the link below.
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UniQuad®
UniQuad® translucent polycarbonate wall systems provide both excellent thermal performance and soft, diffuse natural light.
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Briteway® Polycarbonate Canopies and Walkway Covers
Protect occupants from the elements while highlighting entryways with a Briteway® canopy. From custom designs to simple walkway covers, we have a system that fits your project's unique needs.
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UniGrid™
UniGrid™ translucent panel wall systems feature a lightweight sandwich panel design with fiberglass reinforced polymer (FRP) face sheets that provide light control and privacy.
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Liteway™ FRP Glazed Canopy Systems
Their light weight and unique aesthetic make them a versatile design tool that’s customizable for a range of canopy and walkway cover applications.