TOWARDS AN ECONOMICAL FLEXIBILITY.

AN ARCHITECT AND A SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS COLLABORATED ON THE DESIGN FOR A HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH STRESSED ECONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY. THEY CONSIDERED THREE ASPECTS OF FLEXIBILITY--(1) EXPANDABILITY, (2) CONVERTIBILITY, AND (3) VERSATILITY. EXPANDABILITY IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF SITE SELECTION AND PLANNING. CONVERTIBILITY FEATURES IDENTIFIED INCLUDE MOVABLE SPACE DIVIDERS, EITHER STORAGE UNITS OR TEACHING PANELS, WHICH COULD BE REARRANGED FOR DIFFERENT INSTRUCTION LAYOUTS. VERSATILITY IS INCLUDED IN THE AUDITORIUM DESIGN WHICH INCORPORATES THE BAND ROOM AND ASSEMBLY ROOM, AND USING FOLDING PARTITIONS, PERMITS A NUMBER OF STAGE AND SEATING CONFIGURATIONS. THE AUDITORIUM ALSO FEATURES A CIRCULAR DOMED CONSTRUCTION WHICH HAS ACOUSTIC, ECONOMIC, AND STRUCTURAL ADVANTAGES. SPECIFIC ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO (1) STORAGE LIGHTING, (2) AUDITORIUM SEATING, (3) DOORLESS CLASSROOMS, AND (4) UTILITIES FLEXIBILITY. (DM)