Designing for change–Open Building for education

Purpose The purpose of this study was to uncover and evaluate the process and result of applying open building principles to create a long life (100 plus years), accommodating and dynamic building that could readily enable the iterative reconfiguration of spaces to reflect changing demographics and evolving pedagogies and to do so economically, with minimal disruption. Design/methodology/approach The focus of this article is the Discovery Building and Exploration Building at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California. A collaboration of two architectural firms won the commission to design a major multi-purpose building on a high school campus with an open-ended program and a desire for flexibility. The design team proposed a loft building and designed it to be highly adaptable by employing strategies espoused by the internationally recognized open building movement. The team also won a second major commission for the Exploration Building, recently opened and inviting comparison between the two projects. Findings Now occupied for three years, the Discovery Building has become a model for future-proofing new facilities in the Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District. Students and faculty have responded positively to the dynamic and flexible learning environment and changes in use and specific reconfigurations have been aided by the open building principles that have guided the design of this facility. Research limitations/implications Given the relatively short time span of the building's occupation, Discovery Building's capacity for change has not been fully tested. The project would greatly benefit from a full scale post-occupancy evaluation. The Exploration Building just opened last year and needs time to be tested through occupation, but it already invites comparisons in terms of similarities and differences in strategy. Social implications The way this building has been conceptualized and realized invites ongoing participation of faculty, students and administrators in the shaping of spaces that foster the education of both the individual and the collective. Originality/value The Discovery Building is the first education building explicitly designed according to open building principles in North America. As such, it is a model for future educational facilities of all kinds.