New DREAMS Program Introduced at Waipahu Intermediate School Campus

(DLR Group) June 2, 2014 ― DLR Group is partnering with the Hawaii Department of Education and Waipahu Intermediate School to design a facility to house the school’s new DREAMS program. DREAMS – Digital media, Robotics, Engineering/electronics, Animation, Music and Science - responds to Waipahu’s vision to provide 21st Century learning opportunities in a collaborative, student-led environment. Located in Waipahu on Oahu, the new facility will be part of the Waipahu Intermediate Campus, which currently serves 1,200 students in grades seven and eight.

DLR Group’s design will provide 30,000 SF of specialized learning spaces, including classrooms, instructional labs and flexible spaces for small or large group study. Partnerships are essential to the success of the DREAMS program. Currently, Waipahu Intermediate School has secured a joint partnership with ‘Olelo Community Media to contribute to the Digital Media curriculum.

“Waipahu Intermediate School’s DREAMS program is the epitome of 21st Century learning. DLR Group is thrilled to design the first facility of this type in Hawaii,” said DLR Group Principal Lisa Johnson, AIA. “Our design will feature abundant technology and a variety of flexible learning spaces that will allow students to follow their talents and passion.”

In addition to new learning spaces, DLR Group’s design will create a commons and faculty center to connect the campus and surrounding community. A new auditorium will allow the school to screen both student and community productions.

To achieve Waipahu’s sustainability goals and meet Hawaii CHPs criteria, a variety of sustainable energy approaches are being pursued, including natural daylighting, natural ventilation capability, photovoltaic panels for on-sire renewable energy production, and a high efficiency mechanical system.

Construction of the $10M facility is expected to begin in September 2015 and will be completed in summer of 2016.

About DLR Group
DLR Group is an interdisciplinary design firm providing architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design from offices coast-to-coast and in China. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients; local communities; and our planet. DLR Group fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge and is an initial signatory to the AIA 2030 Commitment. Visit dlrgroup.com and follow us in Twitter.

Featured

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.