news
2023
-Cal Poly ARCH 253 Brooks design studio visit innovative new school, Rio Del Sol School (K-8 STEM) in Venurta, CA
2020-21
Cal Poly Architecture Students Julieta Moreno, Kathleen Brady and Rose Hilebrandt win Coalition for Adequate School Housing Student Design Competition 1st place and attend conference in Sacramento. Project: Outdoor learning spaces for Creston Elementary, Creston CA
-Kelle Brooks and Cal Poly Students are design volunteers for the Green Schoolyards America- National Covid-19 outdoor learning initiative. We are working with a school in our region: Creston Elementary.
2019
-Kelle Brooks, with students Aleksa Salve, Shaina Kim, Haley Baquian, and Serah Kallerackal develop prototypes for outdoor classrooms.
-Kelle Brooks, with students Aleksa Salve design outdoor classroom and seating for Laguna Middle School, Luis Obispo.
2018
-Kelle Brooks, with students Shaina Kim and Haley Baquian, design and build a school garden and outdoor classroom at Rice Elementary School in Santa Maria. Our work is helping to secure funding from grants and charitable donations. Collaboration has begun between Cal Poly Architecture and Construction Management.
-Cal Poly ARCH 253 Brooks design studio visit innovative educational facilities in Los Angeles: Inner-City Arts (not for profit K-12 arts education) and Camino Nuevo Charter schools.
-Cal Poly ARCH 253 students video conference with Gensler: Education Practice Team
-Cal Poly Architecture students Aleksa Salve and Brian Chan win honorable mention for Coalition for Adequate School Housing Student Design Competition and attend conference in Sacramento.
2017
-Cal Poly Architecture 253 Brooks design studio Students participate in a series of workshops and presentations about indoor/outdoor learning environments to students at Rice Elementary School in Santa Maria.
-Kelle Brooks and students meet with UC Cal Fresh School Garden Sustainability coordinator to discuss school garden and outdoor classroom design projects.
2016
-Cal Poly ARCH 251 Brooks Design studio visit Cielito Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Preschool in Nipomo, CA and Wishing Well Waldorf School in Los Osos as research for their project to design a public pre-K school in downtown San Luis Obispo.
-Kelle Brooks, with students Tess Radisch and Karly Montick, design an outdoor classroom and urban garden at Teach Elementary School in San Luis Obispo.
-Co-write grant for school garden at Oceano Elementary School with UC Cal Fresh School Garden Sustainability coordinator
-Cal Poly Architecture students in Brooks studio participate in a series of workshops and presentations about indoor/ outdoor learning environments to students at Ocean View Elementary School, Grover Beach Elementary School and Oceano Elementary School.
-Cal Poly Architecture Students Tyler Heitkamp and Scott Lindquist win Coalition for Adequate School Housing Student Design Competition and attend conference in Sacramento
2015
-Cal Poly Architecture students in Brooks studio participate in a series of workshops and presentations about indoor/ outdoor learning environments to 4th, 5th and 6th graders at Teach Elementary School in San Luis Obispo
resources
Initiatives and standards:
https://www.greenschoolyards.org/
https://www.greenschoolyards.org/lectures
https://www.childrenandnature.org
Natural Learning Initiative, North Carolina State University
Benefits of connecting children with nature fact sheet
Nature play and learning places.org
Learning through Landscapes
https://schoolgardens.arizona.edu/
Center for Green Schools
Misc:
https://architectureandeducation.org
https://www.podshipearth.com/ episode 13: asphalt
Garden School movement in China
Education design competitions:
Open Architecture Network
7x7x7designenergywater
Books
Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv
Schoolyard Enhanced Learning, H. Broda
Landscapes for Learning, S. Stine
Designing the Sustainable School, Ford, Alan
Learn for Life, Diego Hernandez, https://www.archdaily.com/257763/learn-for-life-new-architecture-for-new-learning
Architecture of School, Mark Dudeck
Kindergarten Architecture, Mark Dudeck