Classroom Wing

Albuquerque Public Schools Classroom Wing with retaining wall east of the student entry

Kindergarten Wing

Albuquerque Public Schools Prototype Elementary School site conditions at the Kindergarten wing

KOAT TV Prototype Elementary School Report

KOAT News Story - APS Prototype from vhgarchitect and Vimeo.

APS Prototype Elementary School

APS Prototype School Process Video from vhgarchitect and Vimeo.

Albuquerque Public Schools Prototype Elementary School process video with a SketchUp model animation at the end

V. Sue Cleveland High School Rendering

New rendering looking north

V. Sue Cleveland High School Construction Photo

The new High School is now under construction! The team issued a site and foundation package to the contractor before the remainder of the design is completed.

Albuquerque Public Schools Prototype Elementary School Site 1

We are now in the Construction Document phase of the design. A large change as noted in the rendered image is that we have moved the entire classroom wing (right side of building) down one level.

This was an interesting exercise in Revit Architecture 2008.

• First, we created a new "lower" level.
• Then, we copied the second floor interior partitions, ceilings, rooms, etc., onto the new level and deleted them from the previous "second" level.
• We extended the exterior walls down to the new lower level and then moved the windows from the second level down to the lower level.
• Finally, we made fine adjustments such as deleting the former second floor roof and modifying the first floor roof to cover the classroom wing.
• We have left the second level in the project for use as a clerestory plan at the higher roof areas.

Also new since the previous postings is the site topography. The site requires extensive reworking to accommodate the new school, so we "created" a topography that approximates the final grading. The actual grading plan, done by the Civil Engineer, will be as indicated on the Civil drawings.

The Kit of Parts Matrix

The team’s focus was on the development of a Program that could be adapted to different site constraints while maintaining the adjacency requirements of the Program’s major elements. This approach led to establishing a “kit of parts” strategy to be utilized in different configurations as required for the different school sites. This kit of parts includes the following components:

1. Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten Classrooms
2. Intensive Support Program Classroom.
3. Classroom Pods for One – Fifth Grades
4. Administration Area
5. Gymnasium
6. Cafeteria/Kitchen
7. Media Center

V. Sue Cleveland High School

Main Student Entry for 2,400 student V. Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Conceptual Drawing from Sketch-Up Model

The Albuquerque Public Schools Prototype Elementary School Project includes establishing the program requirements for five elementary schools to be designed and built during the next two to three years. Three of the five sites have been selected and are scheduled to be completed by January 2009.

New Van H. Gilbert Architect PC Blog!

Welcome to VHGA's new blog: VHG Architect

Please look around and view posts about our work and our office

We are architects practicing in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Our areas of concentration include aquariums & zoos, universities & higher education, k-12 schools, commercial projects, public & cultural facilities, and interiors

For a complete portfolio of our projects, visit http://www.vhgarchitect.com/