This document provides background information for a final presentation project for a school called Miquon School. It discusses the client, project overview, site location, client requests, guiding principles, inventory analysis, design requirements, case study benchmarks, site plans, sections, perspectives at different scales, performance analyses, and independent project proposals. The client, Miquon School, is an independent K-6 school in suburban Philadelphia that focuses on progressive learning. They requested moving to an urban environment while maintaining a close connection to the environment, increasing access to diversity and culture, and designing an ecologically advanced campus.

1. Final Presentation
Megan Eyer, Kim Bush, Matthew Caruso
SDNX 621 - Fall 2016

2. Background & Prep Summation
Project Overview
Client: Miquon School
About: The Miquon School is a independent Kindergarten
through 6th Grade school that focuses on progressive
learning.
Location: Suburban Philadelphia
Client Requests: Move to a urban environment while keeping
its close connection to the environment, increase access to
diversity and culture, and designing an ecologically
advanced campus.

3. Background & Prep Summation Guiding Principles
Culture
Include spaces that engage the students in wonder
and exploration, spaces that shelter, spaces that
excite the senses through changing color, texture,
and sound, spaces that shield and also welcomes
views to the river and the surrounding
neighborhood. A place that is part of the
neighborhood, but at the same time feels worlds
away.
Facts/Performance
Maximize building and site efficiency using all
available forces, such as wind, water, and sunlight,
and design for resiliency to the extreme impact of
these forces as predicted by climate change.
Conserve and protect the scarce and essential
resource that is water by maximizing reuse and
preventing pollution.
Experience
Foster progressive education through sustainability
by encouraging wonder, inquiry, independence,
and discovery.
Build an inclusive and peaceful environment for all
by fostering diverse interaction through school and
community educational partnership
Systems
Connect with low carbon transportation systems to
allow children the opportunity to discover
surrounding areas in the community.
Use renewable systems that regenerate the site to
provide for other quadrants.

4. Background & Prep Summation Inventory Analysis
-"choice time" allows children to explore elements in nature, therefore they
experience- freedom, discovery, imagination, and creativity.
-daylit interior spaces and views to the outside aid in the learning process - positively
impacting children’s energy levels and attention span.
-Surrounded by nature children are exposed to a variety of animals and their sounds
( ex. birds, squirrels, raccoon)
- a variety of outdoor activities (monkey land, woodchip field) allow children to
discover and imagine a whole different world around them.
-interaction with outdoor elements (logs, sticks, trails, natural covered arounds) as
oppose to a traditional metal/plastic play structure allow children to experience a
deeper connection with nature.
-156 Miquon students come from surrounding Philadelphia neighborhoods.
-Ages range from 3-12, Nursery through 6th grade
-Student enrollment : 146 Teaching and administrative staff : 30
- The Miquon School was founded in 1932..
- Currently located in 2025 Harts Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428 . Ten acre
campus in Whitemarsh Township.
-Fauna: white tailed deer, red fox, downy woodpecker, gray foxes, raccoons,
cottontail rabbits, skunks, ruffed grouse, wood dove, bobwhite quail, cardinal, blue
jay, Indiana nat, tree frogs, ground hogs, and bald eagles.
-Flora: cardinal flower, red maple tree, willow oak, grass,
School is reputed as a leader in progressive education
Miquon is the name of the surrounding area in the Lenni-Lenape language, brought
to Western ears when William Penn showed the local inhabitants his quill pen
Miquon Upper School founded in 1970 by former Miquon teacher Arnold Greenberg
but because the two schools were separate entities Miquon Upper was later
renamed to The Crefeld School
Philosophy of learning - Miquon uses nine principles to instill enduring value in the
lives of its students: Learning by doing, teaching critical thinking skills, learning
methods unique to each child, nurturing curiosity and initiative, gradually increasing
independence, teamwork, nurturing contribution and creation, taking lessons from
nature, and last but not least: fun and joy in learning.
Since the current school is over 80 years old, heating and cooling systems have had
to be repaired in patchwork fashion. Client would like reliable thermal comfort
solutions.
Client has expressed a desire to have easy access to public transportation such as
bus stops and bike lanes. There is a train station nearby but lacks easy walking
access. Client and parents struggle with backups of cars in morning and afternoon
due to size and shape of parking lot/driveway
Students have expressed a desire to learn more about electricity (where is power
generated, how is current translated into light etc.)
Facts/PerformanceExperience
SystemsCulture

5. Background & Prep Summation Design Requirements
Culture
- Provide educational opportunities for the
outside community
- Provide venue space on campus for
community events
- Very involved with diversity and the
respect of the community
- Educating children to be creative
- Maintain policies that promote and
increase diversity
Facts/Performance
- Cost: $300/SF
- EUI: 19.4 kBTU/SF
- LEED Platinum or LBC
- Net Zero Water
- Zero discharge storm water
- Net Zero Energy
Experience
- Design areas of observation and interaction. Enhance
or create feelings of fresh air, vibrant life, serenity,
interconnectedness, visual and perceptual
“greenness”
- Design areas that complement or facilitate
contemplation, silence, and reverence, as well as
ethereal lighting techniques.
- Use “concentric” patterns
- Colorful and vibrant classrooms
- Views and vistas of the river from multiple
perspectives
- Bringing the outside environment inside the building
while incorporating the natural landscape of the city
Systems
- PV Panels
- Use constructed wetland, green roofs, rain
gardens, treat water on site
- Passive design systems: natural
daylighting, passive heating, and natural
ventilation
- Monitoring systems for thermal comfort

6. Background & Prep Summation Case Study Benchmarks
IslandWood School
Location: 4450 Blakely Ave. NE, Bainbridge Island,
WA 98110
Benchmarks:
- Create spaces for discovery. It is important for
children to learn through exploring and
investigation.
- Encourage investigation through meaningful trails
and connections between buildings.
- Place buildings strategically on site to utilize
natural daylighting and natural ventilation.
- Use PV panels to harness the sun’s energy to
provide energy for the building.
- Constructed wetlands on site help with runoff and
provides a habitat for plants and animals.

7. Background & Prep Summation Case Study Benchmarks
Bertschi School
Location: 2227 10th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
Benchmarks:
- Net zero water: achieved through rainwater
cisterns. The cisterns collect water that can be
used for flushing toilets and irritation.
- Operable windows on the buildings provide natural
ventilation.
- Having large windows and creating views gives
the children a connection to nature.
- Use PV panels to gather energy. They also
provide an opportunity to give/sell back to the city
if excessive energy is produced.
- Building with sustainable materials will lower
environmental impact.
- Green roofs help with stormwater management as
well as provide green space that was lost in the
development of the building.

8. Background & Prep Summation Case Study Benchmarks
Sidwell Friends School
Location: 3825 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington,
DC 20016
Benchmarks:
- Net zero water: achieved through rainwater
collection. Water is collected through rain gardens
and green roofs.Water is treated on site and then
used for irrigation and flushing toilets.
- Having solar chimneys keeps the interior of the
building cooler.
- Building up the envelope of the building will keep
the building cool in the summer and hot in the
winter to lower cooling/heating costs.
- PV panels on the roof will help with energy costs.

9. Background & Prep Summation Combined Site Plan

10. Background & Prep Summation Site Sections
Section: Main Entrance
Section: Classrooms Facing South
Section: K and 1st Facing South
Section: Community Hardscape

11. Systems Perspective City Scale
City Bus Stops
City Utilities
Philadelphia is currently having stormwater
management problems. The high volume of
urbanization has caused waterways to floods
and become polluted because of the large
amounts of rainwater runoff. The runoff is also
eroding land and destroying habitats. Our site
design has implemented stormwater
infrastructure to help solve this problem.
City Map with Major Highways and Roads
Stormwater Pond Rain Garden Along Parking Lot
Tree Trenches Along Road

12. Systems Perspective District Scale
Major Highways: Route 1, 76 Schuylkill Express
Major Roads: Kelly Drive, City Ave, Ridge Ave, Schoolhouse Lane, Midvale
Ave
Bike Trails: Parts of the Schuylkill River Trail run through East Falls. The
bike trail runs along Kelly Drive.
Public Transit: Regional Rail (East Falls Train Station & Queen Lane Train
Station), Septa Bus Routes (61, 32, K, R, 58,1, 9)
Water System: Schuylkill River, Wissahickon Creek
Bike Trail
US Route 1
Septa Regional Rail -
Manayunk/Norristown
Line
Major Septa Bus
Routes
Site
The client wanted to have a
connection to the community and
make sure the school was in a
diverse environment. Our site
addresses this incorporating a
community hardscape area where
the community can gather for
different events. The site also has
access to bus stops within
walking distance so there can be
class trips around the
neighborhood.

13. Systems Perspective District Scale
Learning through discovery is an
important feature of the site.
Plants were selected that would do
well in different soil types and
provide visual interest throughout
the entire school year. Certain
plants were also selected to attract
different animals that would
provide a learning opportunity for
the children. For example
flowering plants were chosen that
attract butterflies.
Dogwood Tree
Rhododendron
Fountain Grass
American Beech
Hummingbird Grey Squirrel
FrogMonarch Butterfly
Holly Shrub
Ecosystem Response

14. Systems Perspective District Scale
Ecosystem Response
Our site uses rain gardens to help
collect water runoff from the parking
lot. There is also rainwater
collection cisterns next to the facility
management to collect water to be
used for flushing toilets as well as
irrigation. The site also minimizes
rainwater runoff by the water
absorption on the green roof on the
community space.The green roof
also replaces some of the green
space lost during construction.
Stormwater Pond
Parking Lot Rain Garden
Rainwater Cisterns Rainwater Cisterns
PV Panel and Green RoofPV Panel Roof

15. Systems Perspective Site Scale
Car/Bus Circulation
Perimeter Fence
Main Entry
Main Path of Circulation
Secondary Path of
Circulation
Rainwater Collection
Stormwater on Site

16. Experience Perspective
City Scale

17. Experience Perspective
District Scale
Site

18. Experience Perspective
Site Scale

19. Culture & Society Perspective
Site Scale
Community Benefit
Drop-off System
- Parking lot creates
an easy an easy
drop-off system for
parents and drops
children off at a safe
location.
Cultural Change
Outdoor Learning
Opportunities
- Teachers can teach
students outside of
their classroom.
- Students will be able
to learn about
rainwater importance
by seeing the
process of
harvesting it.
Community Engagement
Community Hardscape
- Community
hardscape allows
residents from the
neighborhood to use
some of the site
amenities and view
some of the site
sustainable practices
Cultural Reinforcement
Site Circulation
- Students must travel
along main path in
order to get to the
entire site and walk
along secondary
path in order to get
to certain locations
on the site
- Each class grade
has its own
designated building

20. Performance - energy demand

21. Performance - energy demand

22. Performance - energy demand

23. Performance - solar panels

24. Performance - solar panels

25. Performance - daylight modeling

26. Performance - daylight modeling

27. Performance - daylight modeling

28. Performance - daylight modeling

29. Performance - daylight modeling

30. Performance - daylight modeling

31. Performance - daylight modeling

32. Performance Water Demand Calculations

33. Performance Rainwater Harvesting and Stormwater Calculations

34. Site Design and Integration of Multiple Perspectives
Experience
Views of RiverWandering
Nature Trails
Wandering
Nature Trails
Nature in Urban
Environment

35. Site Design and Integration of Multiple Perspectives
Facts
Water
collection for
zero rainwater
runoff Solar energy
for Net Zero
Energy

36. Site Design and Integration of Multiple Perspectives
Culture
Community
Area
Connection
to public
transit
Sustainable practices displayed
to the community

37. Site Design and Integration of Multiple Perspectives
Systems
PV Panels
Green Roof
Passive design:
Southern facade for
natural daylighting
Rain Garden

38. Independent Projects - Discovery Trail

39. Independent Projects - Discovery Trail
- Loose gravel pathway to create
different sounds
- Discovery nature plaques along
trail to provide “fun facts” for
children on local flora and fauna
- Use of dogwood trees and high
grasses to create canopy
feeling in play area
- Reclaimed wood on site for fort
building
- Fort building ground covering is
recycled wood chips
- Playground has porous
recycled rubber ground
covering
- Playground made out of
reclaimed/recycled wood

40. Independent Projects - Community Space

41. Independent Projects - Community Space

42. Independent Projects - Community Space
20x60 tree trench and basin
Green roof
Rain garden
*Can function as bus stop

43. Independent Projects - Community Space
Upcoming event
screen
Gas fire pit
tables Log seating
planters

44. Independent Projects - Climbing Wall Playground

45. Independent Projects - Climbing Wall Playground
- By creating a play space
that incorporates climbing,
the students will be able to
work on skills that increase
independence.
- Students will also be able to
get different views the
higher up they go up the
wall.
- The climbing wall will add
an enjoyable activity for
students to take part in and
a great source of exercise.

46. Independent Projects - Meditation Garden

47. Independent Projects - Meditation Garden
- Creates a relaxing events
for students to use.
- Surrounded by flowers
with vibrant colors such as
Sweet Mock Oranges,
Lilacs, and
Rhododendrons.
- Creates an oasis for
students to study and
learn.
- Water Fountain will add
soothing sounds to help
block out sounds from the
street.