Tag: charter school (2)

Twin Cities Academy | Architectural Solution

The 9.2-acre site for Twin Cities Academy was the original location of the Cemstone Products Company, which was used as a concrete batch plant and nestled into St. Paul neighborhood. For many years the site was used for mining soils, storage, and concrete production. Environmental testing discovered hazardous materials and buried debris, which required extensive clean up. Chemicals used in the production of cement had also leached into the soils and increased PH levels on the entire site making it difficult to grow vegetation. However, through effective collaboration between the civil engineer, contractor, school, architect, and the MPCA, the difficult site was remediated into a healthy site for new school construction, the aerial site plans below illustrates this transformation. Through careful listening, the design team collaborated with Twin Cities Academy staff and stakeholders to develop a better understanding for the programmatic needs for each space. This resulted in an efficient floor plan that is smaller than the space they were previously renting. The student population is comprised of both middle and high school students and the school expressed a need for creating a separation of these two age groups but also developing a sense of unity within the school. In designing a large classroom wing that is comprised of middle school on one floor and high school on another floor it creates the separation desired by TCA staff. Housed in a different wing were shared programmatic spaces for gym, band, art, etc., and the two wings are connected by a grand atrium punctuated by a welcoming fireplace which promotes small group gathering and a delivers a wealth of natural light. Vital to the vision of the new Twin Cities Academy was to create a warm welcoming space for students, staff, and the community to gather. The open entryway achieves this, as students enter their […]

Kodet Construction Observation Twin Cities Academy

Adapting To AXP

July brought more than fireworks and BBQ’s this summer for those on the path towards becoming an architect. A complete overhaul of the experience requirements to become an architect was put into motion, which has the potential to be a game changer for how those in the program gain and record experience. Formerly known as the Intern Development Program the new Architectural Experience Program (AXP) will require architecture firms to adapt in order to keep young talent advancing towards becoming licensed architects. In 2012 , NCARB conducted a national survey to review the old program and realized changes were needed in order to strive for better independent performance of required tasks at the completion of the program. The new AXP allows licensure candidates the opportunity to be more flexible with the number of hours needed for a particular task. This allows for greater time spent on a challenging task and less on ones candidates find easier, which is a major change from the static hours required in the old highly prescriptive system. Below are some of the biggest changes within AXP: 17 specific IDP experience areas are now 6 broad AXP experience areas These 6 areas align with the ARE exams and project phases, essentially WHAT YOU DO FOR AXP = WHAT YOU STUDY FOR ARE’S = WHAT YOU DO IN THE REAL WORLD! There are 96 listed tasks that licensure candidates are expected to have competency in at the completion of AXP. Reduction of supplemental experience in favor of firm-related project experience.   5 TIPS FOR FIRMS ADAPTING TO AXP To efficiently and effectively support those on the path to licensure Broaden Impact of Tasks Firms should encourage those in AXP to broaden the impact of their particular task into a greater network of interconnected tasks. By understanding how […]