CASE STUDY IN EDUCATION

St. Brendan's School in Miami, Florida.

In 2012, St. Brendan High School developed a curriculum that was geared toward preparing students for the future, both college and career. Four paths were developed, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), Law & Global Business, Medical Sciences, Medical Sciences and Visual/Performing Arts. The challenge facing the design team was to take a 40-year old school with limited space and make it flexible enough to fit that new curriculum. Unfortunately, collaborative group learning brings another challenge of its own to the project—high levels of noise.

SOLUTION

The new facility houses a modern media classroom, science and physics labs, as well as a 3,500 square-foot multipurpose room that can fit up to 500 occupants. Functioning as the project team’s flexible space partner, Hufcor was able to lend their expertise in flexible space management to provide custom, world-class operable partitions and movable glass walls that allow the space to serve more than one purpose while complementing new curriculum.

Hufcor's Ultra Acoustic GU Series provides a physical separation of space without compromising the need for social interaction and the benefits of observational learning.

RESULTS

Hufcor’s Ultra™ Acoustic Glasswall™ products were used to provide a physical separation of space without compromising the visual benefits of observational learning, which according to Educational Psychologist Albert Bandurayet, is the learning that takes place through watching others learn. Hufcor’s products—be it glass or traditional movable partitions—can be very instrumental in any educational setting. St. Brendan High School is just one of many projects with this type of learning concept and while glass is essential to the design, it also provides the ability for students to get the most out of the space.

Hufcor movable glasswall can be opened or closed depending on the needs of curriculum, students, teachers, activities, or even health restrictions.

Hufcor’s Ultra™ Acoustic Glasswall™ systems provide a 46 STC barrier between the classrooms and multi-purpose learning space. This acoustical separation meets the recommendations set by the Acoustical Society of America standards set forth for designing school learning spaces for optimal audio intelligibility. These standards are outlined within the ANSI ASA S12.60 standards that are referenced in LEED for Schools 2009 requirements.

In the multipurpose space, Hufcor installed operable partitions to provide flexibility for various types of student activities such as college presentations, testing and grade-level meetings. The 642 Series Operable Wall is used to provide superior sound separation in the space.

Hufcor’s products—be it glass or traditional movable partitions—can be very instrumental in any educational setting.

Arnaldo Delgado, Project Manager from Zyscovich Architects said it best: “The system brings 21st century flexibility to the classroom spaces by allowing visual and physical connection to the extended learning areas. Essentially, it provides separation without disconnection.”