Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Design Firm: Perkins+Will
Architect's Statement:
In the United States, the primary function of portable classrooms has been to provide additional educational spaces to existing school facilities, most often on a temporary basis. Our school partner, Dekalb County School System, has been using portable classrooms in this way for years. However, these temporary solutions are being used increasingly to solve more permanent special needs. It is becoming common for these aging and poor quality portables to stay at the same location for over 5 years.Conceiving the next generation portable classroom begins with a holistic assessment of what these structures are used for, how they work or don't work, and how the end users can benefit from improving the standard. Portable classrooms serve unlimited functions for unlimited conditions. By using the basic concept of a portable classroom while modifying the basic design and components, the potential for creating substantially better learning and teaching environments can be achieved.
Introducing the "PeaPoD" - A Portable Educationally Adaptive Product of Design. The pea is a simple dry fruit, which develops from a simple carpel and usually opens along a seam on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a "pod".
Function and parts. Seeds develop within the confines of a pod whose walls provide numerous functions for the seeds. Pod walls serve to protect the seeds during development, they are part of the pathway that delivers nutrients to the seeds, and they can metabolize storage products for transfer to the seeds.
The PeaPoD portable classroom implements cost-conscious building materials to create a learning environment, which can be adapted to any environment. With generous day-lighting, operable windows, and natural ventilation, the PeaPoD can operate with significantly lower utility costs while at the same time providing a wonderful and refreshing educational experience to the students and teachers.
Learn More: PeaPoD Design for Druids Hills High School
