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By NTarch | L Redesign your school Cafeteria | 2012 National High School Architecture Competition

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Welcome to the 2012 DiscoverDesign National High School Architecture Competition!
These are the instructions for entering a design project in the competition.

Design Challenge Background
Cafeterias are often dark and crowded. They are uncomfortable and unhealthy.

Design Challenge Brief
The challenge is to redesign your high school cafeteria and re-think how your school’s cafeteria should, or could, function asas a healthy eating space. What does a cafeteria look like that is designed around a person’s needs?

You may redesign the interior of the existing cafeteria space, expand on the existing space, or design a completely new addition on to your school building. Your design should contain all the spaces and functions required for a typical school cafeteria – a variety of seating options for students (inside and out!), as well as a food storage, space for the kitchen, outdoor eating spaces, serving areas, and places to pay for the meal. You should also consider sustainability issues and the environmental impact of your design.

What should I upload in this Overview step?

Write a short description of the problems you will be trying to solve in redesigning your school library.

What is the Design Process?

How do you start a project? How do you get from the design problem to the final design? Learn more about the design process here.

the problem with our school cafeteria is that it is extremely hot, way to loud, and much to crammed. I plan to address all of these problems and figure out some sort of solution to each of them. i want to make the lunch room as comfortable as possible, lunch is the one time in the day where students get to relax and get ready for the second part of a stressful school day, so the lunch room should be the perfect place for students to be able to do this.

Comments

If you are able to take some pictures, I think that would add a lot to your process. Something interesting about digital photos is that it says a lot about the subject, but also speaks a little about you, considering the angles and distances that you decide to shoot from. SO I hope to see some pictures at some point.

Mike

By mikenourse (not verified) at 03:28 pm, 25 October 2010

NTarch,
Good pics they really give a good general idea of the current cafetera but try showing some before and after pics to give a better idea of just how cramped it is at lunch. Also i can't find where the cafeteria is in the site plan, try labling where it is or change the color of the cafeteria so it can be found easier (could even try changing the base color of everything but the cafeteria). Last thing, lable what the pictures mean such as, what is the relivence of the pic? or, how does this help people understand the problem? Aside from this you seem to have a good general direction, keep it up :)
Bagra-Etch

By Bagra-Etch, Student at 02:15 pm, 26 October 2010

You seem to be off to a good start there NTarch. I have read your overview description and it seems like you should elaborate and explain more about your current school cafeteria. Describe how its uncomfortable and what other problems there are in its facility. How would you fix these problems? We will be looking forward to your future works and information.

By iRendon, Student at 02:05 pm, 26 October 2010

Matt,

You will need explore your ideas further and sketch a new design which displays the logistics and egress problems you described in the current cafeteria. Post detailed sketches (pencil and paper) conveying to everyone your thoughts so we can see your design process. Use arrow and written notes in your sketches to describe how you imagine students and faculty moving through the space. Please get these up as soon as possible.

Mr. Wood

By woodj, Educator at 09:20 am, 28 October 2010

You're off to a good start, in that you have some idea of the problems you want to solve. I agree with the other commenters, though, that you need to explain a little better how you intend to solve those problems. You also ought to start posting some of your thought process so that we can see where you're going with things.

By mthomas, Engineer at 01:45 pm, 10 November 2010

Thanks for posting your solutions; it looks like you've thought the problems out. A few comments on your solutions:
- You've proposed making the ceiling of the cafeteria 10 feet higher to alleviate the issue of heat. Consider that, while this may help in the summer, when you want the heat to dissipate, it's going to create problems in the winter, because that heat will still dissipate, when you want it to keep the students warm. You'll have to end up running whatever heating system you've got longer just to keep at the same level, and you may eat up any savings you've got.
- As best as I can see from your photos and your solution, it looks like you're adding a lot of glass to the facade of the cafeteria which wasn't there before. This will also let in heat during the summer, which could create more heating problems. Depending on how it's built, the windows could also make things colder in the winter, because they're generally not as insulated as a solid wall.
- If you are solving the heating problem by giving the first floor seating area a higher ceiling, then why are you not doing the same for the second floor seating area?

Again, thanks for posting your design. These are just my thoughts.

By mthomas, Engineer at 12:52 pm, 03 December 2010

You bring up some very valid points. i will try to figure out a solution to these new problems

By NTarch, Student at 10:24 am, 08 December 2010

What i could do is have a sliding wall to cover the window, when the school is closed and use this when it is too cold and the windows are letting in to much cold air

By NTarch, Student at 10:33 am, 08 December 2010

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In the Collect Info step of the design process, you try to gather as much information as possible about your existing school cafeteria, along with the students and staff who will use it.  You can't propose new solutions until you figure out and document what the existing problems are.

Try This

  • Walk around the interior of your school building and take photos or a short video of the existing cafeteria. You can upload those photos or short videos here. Be sure to write a detailed description for every image.

Think About

  • How many students need to be seated in the cafeteria during one period?
  • What types of furniture is used in the existing cafeteria? Does it need to be movable? Why or why not?

Try This

  • Interview students, cooks, and other staff about what they think of the existing cafeteria.  What changes would they make to spaces if they had a choice?
  • Make a list of those features that you really like about how your cafeteria looks and functions.
  • Make separate list of all the ways that your current cafeteria is not so well designed (chairs may be uncomfortable or the light is poor, or there are really great outdoor eating areas).

Try This

  • Take measurements of the overall dimensions of your existing cafeteria.
  • Take interior photos of the hallways and entrances that lead into your existing cafeteria.

Think About

  • What are the different pathways that students use to get into the cafeteria now?
  • What types of food are available in your cafeteria? How are they stored?

 

Try This

  • Visit Flickr or another photo sharing site and search for other types of cafeterias to determine good and bad examples of how cafeterias accommodate user’s needs, especially teens.

Think About

  • Does your new school cafeteria need to look like the same typical cafeteria with long rows of tables?  What other eating spaces around the world are inspiring and interesting?

What should I upload in this Collect Info step?

Consider uploading photos, a short video, and a site plan drawing of your existing school library. Help us understand the existing conditions and the location of this room.

How do I collect Information?

How can collecting information help me with the design problem? Learn ways to collect information that will help you with the design process here.

NTarch's work for the Collect Information step:

The student did not provide any content for this step.

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In the Brainstorm Ideas step of the design process, you put some early ideas down on paper that show what you've found in the Collect Info step.  You also might take more photos to show specific new ideas you have. 

The simple diagrams you make here will help you understand how the existing cafeteria location and design compare with your new ideas.

 

Try This

  • Walk around the exterior of your school building and take photos of possible locations for your new cafeteria with outdoor seating.

Think About

  • Will this cafeteria replace your school's existing cafeteria or become an addition to a different part of the building? Will it be built in an empty lot or space?  Will it be underground or built on the roof?  You decide.

Try This

  • Use Google Maps to view and print out an aerial photo of your school. 

Think About

  • Spend some time looking at the aerial photo of your school.  What types of other buildings surround your school?  Homes, businesses, parks, parking lots, or an empty field?  How will these other buildings impact the design of your new library?
  • What types of streets surround your school? Are they busy or quiet?     

Try This

  • On a piece of tracing paper placed over the aerial photo of your school, sketch a diagram showing a large arc around the building to show the path of the sun throughout the day.  This drawing is called a site analysis diagram.  (Remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.)
  • Draw other lines on this diagram to indicate the best views around the building.

Think About

  • Based on the site analysis diagram you've sketched, where is the sun located throughout the school day? 
  • How can the indoor and outdoor seating areas of your new cafeteria be positioned to take advantage of the sunlight for good lighting?

What should I upload in this Brainstorm Ideas step?

Consider uploading hand sketches or a quick study model of all your first ideas. You can scan these drawings or take photos of your model.

How do I brainstorm ideas?

Brainstorming ideas is your first step towards making an informed decision to the design solution. Learn more about that here.

NTarch's work for the Brainstorm Ideas step:

The student did not provide any content for this step.

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In the Develop Solutions step, your rough ideas come together with drawings and models that can show others your solutions for a new cafeteria.

Important! Since DiscoverDesign is about investigating the design process, the other people viewing your project - other students around the country, your teacher, and the competition judges - want to see how your ideas have changed over time. This means that while you're working on your digital model, you’ll want to be sure to keep re-saving it with a new file name every few days as you work through the steps.

Try This

  • Draw a sketch or use software such as Google SketchUp, AutoCAD, or Revit to illustrate your ideas.  You can upload photos (JPG files) from your SketchUp model, video fly throughs (FLV files) of your SketchUp model, or drawings (DWF files) from AutoCAD.

 

Try This

  • Make sure your cafeteria includes the following types of spaces and furnishings.
    - indoor seating area (tables, seating)
    - outdoor seating area (tables, seating)
    - food storage (shelves)
    - cook desk (place to check out)
    - small office for kitchen staff
    - bins for recycyling

 

What should I upload in this Develop Solutions step?

Consider uploading images (JPG, GIF) of your rough digital model. It's ok if your model is still a work in progress. Show an axonometric or perspective view with people, which will help others understand the scale of your library.

How do I develop solutions?

Look at all of the ideas you gathered in the last step. How do those respond to the needs of the space? Learn more about developing solutions here.

NTarch's work for the Develop Solutions step:

the solve the issue of room, i was planning on making another floor and making the original cafeteria bigger by demolishing one room and part of a hallway to add an area next to a big window. also when the temperature is 70 and above outdoor seating will be available. the cafeteria is extremely hot so by making the ceiling 10 feet higher all the hot are should rise making the ground a little bit cooler. and to solve the long line not only does the 2nd floor have a kitchen and lunch line but i also added another lunch line to the original cafeteria. that's how i approached the problems.

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The final step of the design process is to create more finished drawings that illustrate your ideas to others. Remember, your explanation text, and the types of drawings, images, and models you share need to tell the whole story of your project to someone who may or may not have ever visited your school.

You might want to share floor plans, elevations, renderings of your digital model, photos of a physical model, or a video animation of your model.

Continue to collect feedback from your peers, teachers and the online community to help you improve on your final design. Be sure to review and add constructive comments on the work of other students who are solving the same design problem. If your ideas change, be sure to explain your thinking and let others know about the new work you have posted to your account.

What should I upload in this Final Design step?

Consider uploading final hand or digital renderings, images of your finished physical model, or your finished digital model (as a DWF file).

How do I know I have my final design?

Consider all of the design considerations you made in your last step. Use feedback from students, teachers, and mentors to finalize your design. Learn more about finishing your design here.

NTarch's work for the Final Design step:

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hidden roof view of the 2nd floor

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i hid all of the walls so u can see the entire cafeteria that is not what it actually looks like.

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roof is hidden this isa view of the 2nd floor and outdoor seating

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view of the windows

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entire view of exterior

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