A Journal of Design Processes Michiko Samantha Chandra
LEARNING BY THE SHORE
Contextual Research
Living in the post-pandemic times /LEARNING DISRUPTION AFTER PANDEMIC
The “largest simultaneous shock to all education systems in our lifetimes” (World Bank 2020). Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for education “This is a wake-up call for education systems to place dedicated efforts on socio-emotional skills — empathy and solidarity”
Living in pandemic �mes2020 has been a year of uncertainty and challenges, of learning and adap�ng. Many have risen to the challenges and reinvented their approach to doing things. From home environments, to school, to work environments, we all had to adjust how we live, work,study, play and interact with one another to the reali�es of a COVID-19 world. 2020 has also been a year of revela�on Challenges on Returning to School Post-Pandemics Specifically to Early Childhood Education
Increased separation anxiety during the initial return to school
...
Families to develop attachment & dependencies at home (Feeling safer at home)
Disruption on learning behaviour and socio-emotional development
/THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL CLASS ON FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/online-prgrams-are-filling-a-preschool-gap-experts-warn-its-no-substitute-for-face-to-face-learning
Pre-school children have shorter a�en�on spans & Excessive screen �me for kids. Moreover young children learn best through in-person experiences. Virtual learning doesn’t occupied children with an ideal early childhood environment where they learn about social skills and the important school-readiness skills.
/OBJECTIVE
choice rethinking & Revitalize early childhood education collaboration
safety
trustworthiness
empowerment
“creating school as a safe place”
/SCHOOL AS A 'SAFE PLACE' Schools are not only seen as academic centres but also as places where children are truly seen and known
In order to turn school s�gma as a scary place for children into a place where they can truly be seen and known, teachers and the school environment must pay a�en�on to the 5 aspects shown. Understand that students can’t learn unless they feel safe. When it comes to separa�on anxiety, there is much that is beyond educators’ power, but there is also a great deal we can build a suppor�ve and sensi�ve environment where students feel safe, comfortable, take risks, learn and even heal.
Identify a SAFE PLACE for Children for a better learning outcome CRITERIA OF THE LOCATION:
PROPOSED LOCATION:
Woodlands Waterfront Jetty
1
Slow Paced Environment
2
Less public, traffic, accessibility
3
Tactile learning environment
4
Tucked away from the city
5
Environment to Reduce Separation
Extended from the land and away from the crowds in the land, less traffic and accessibility portrays ‘’Safe Place’’
Anxiety 6
Allows a new exploration & Adventure
SITE ANALYSIS schedule of accommodation
entrance (after parking lot)
faci
ng
the
sou
lawn area (1988 sqm) READING AREA (113 SQM) art room (113 SQM) classroom (113 SQM) library (113 )SQM canteen
the
ast
About Woodlands Neighbourhood The Woodlands of the early 20th century was an entirely rural area, filled with forest and mangrove swamps with clusters of attap huts, rubber plantations and farms.
toilet (33 SQM) reception (113 SQM) office (80 SQM) free space free space
orientation
Woodlands is closer to Johor than most housing towns in Singapore, and one of the furthest from the city centre. But this distance has given Woodlands a more laid-back atmosphere. Active zone (noisy) 1988 Sqm
zoning
focus zone (quiet) 356 Sqm
...
creative zone (quiet) 356 Sqm
The jetty has since been incorporated as part of the Woodlands Waterfront redevelopment and is now opened to the public
Woodlands is a relatively self-contained town with many amenities and community services. Residents are glad that Woodlands is no longer the "ghost town" it once was. The 400m jetty is one of the longest coastal jetties in Singapore that offers park visitors sweeping view the Straits of Johor
Concept Development
CURRENT VISITORS OF WOODLANDS JETTY
ROADMAP TARGETTING 3 MAIN USERS
Walking time: 1-2hr • Cycling time: 45min
Family picnic bonding time
Biking time with friends
Great variety of family recreational activities and community events
Persona
Preschooler Rethinking Classroom Teaching & Learning models (specifially to interac�on zone & classroom layout) Hybrid Learning & Staggered Play �mes Classroom-based teaching supplemented by technologies in early li�eracy Re-Connect students to increase and revitalize their Social emo�onal learning (SEL) and self-regula�on skills
Parents
School Community & Environments
Deepen Partnership with Families
Adop�ng a strength-based trauma-informed prac�ce
Allow them to par�cipate fully (Family Resource & brainstorming) Staggered Arrival & Pickup Times To promote families paren�ng development & training Post-Covid
Well-thought partnerships with health & social service agencies that serve children & families in the area of hygiene
PROPOSED PROGRAMS SCIENCE DRIVEN PRESCHOOL
WOODLANDS AS FISHING SPOT
...
FISH FARMING & AQUAPONIC
CREATE
SCIENCE DISCOVERY FISH FARMING
END
Introduce new concept of fish cycle of life & New Vocabulary
Hands-on activity by creating a handcraft objects from the ocean waste
EXPERIMENT
ARTWORK SHOWCASE
AQUAPONIC WATER RECYCLE
FESTIVE MARKET
Apply new Knowledge Involve in fish farming processs and aquaponic
Early Literacy
Social Skill
Aquatic product & Crops Early Micro-entrepreneurship
Critical Thinking
Environmental Education
The zoning will start from the outdoor fes�ve market as a unique selling point to evokes curiosity and sparks the spirit of micro-entrepreneurship in the early years of childhood, followed by the discovery stage includes the saltwater aquaponics process where children learn about different stages of the life cycle (through fish-farming) and a be�er understanding of where their food comes from (aquaponics), early literacy (indoor classroom ac�vity to introduce new concept & vocabulary), Art & Cra� (hands-on project) from recycling ocean-waste. At the end of the program, students finish their learning journey with a rewarding ac�vity where they will showcase their artworks and earn something from selling them to the public. The ul�mate program lies on the fes�val market and the showcase pavilion located at the event lawn near the entrance. The event lawn acts as a hero space (retail ac�vity) to promote the pre-schooler artworks and �es the whole programs together. It is also the micro-stage to expose kids to early entrepreneurship. The idea of marine science discovery and mul�-layered programs suppor�ng the new dimension of pre-school spa�al experience has led the design language to co-responding the exis�ng site layout with the eleva�ng elements of micro-zoning in each zoning/program.
design approach
... 2
1 /identifying current activity spot
/creating learning journey by defining the specific flow includes jetty extension
fishing
Retaining original footprint serving the current users
sightseeing
Extension serving the preschooler (Private & secured pathway to school)
3
4
/incorporate current activity into a learning media of the building (fish farming and aquapoinics)
/defining starting point and the ending point (open up with evokes curiousity & FINISH WITH A REWARDING ACTIVITY) exit
Extended viewing deck Fish farming spot learning media - fish life cycle
showcase pavillion
entrance
START end Question trails garden ??
school as a safe place Extended from the land and away from the crowds in the land, less traffic and accessibility portrays ‘’Safe Place’’
Entrance
5 Extension of underground classroom (Focus Area)
Inspired by the exis�ng ac�vity (fishing) as the poten�al learning media for the preschoolers and adding the new layer of meaning to Woodlands Waterfront Je�y. The je�y itself extended with the underground space and created a private and secured journey that caters to the preschool to access the classroom. The extension follows the exis�ng pathway layout of the lawn area and con�nues towards the sea as the observa�on deck at the end of the je�y extension.
Design Proposal
Learning Mastercard By Voyage The Shore Loca�on Woodlands Waterfront Je�y (Admiralty Rd W, Singapore) Area 2701 square metres Underground (356 Sqm) & On the Je�y (356 Sqm)
The main highlight of the program is the aquaponic learning media. The preschoolers are ac�vely involved in the aquaponic process, from fish farming to understanding the life cycle concept to the gardening process of harves�ng saltwater crops to understand their food be�er. In the later stage, all the aqua�c products and saltwater crops will be sold at the fes�val market located near the entrance of the lawn area. Fes�val Market is located near the entrance to promote the preschool program and as the unique selling point where children are exposed to the early micro-entrepreneurship experience. Provide the Showcase Pavillion and place it near the entrance to exhibit student’s artwork and as a public area to promote the preschool. Provides children with a fun and safe environment where it brings children close to nature and elevates the quality of learning into a real-life experience. Overall, the preschool has added a new layer of meaning to the je�y by incorpora�ng the exis�ng fishing ac�vity at the woodlands waterfront je�y and breathing a new life into the site. ON THE JETTY LAYOUT PLAN
READING AREA
ART ROOM
TOILET
PANTRY
CANTEEN
woodlands waterfront park
/ZONING Preparing the Physical space fo Play & Learn
lawn area woodlands waterfront entrance
mangrove forest
Indoor Environment
Outdoor Environment
4 sqm / student
7 sqm / student
1 | CLASSROOM A space for early literacy learning for kids with an interac�ve class layout and fun furniture selec�on to elevates the learning experience
2| LIBRARY Open layout library allows enough sun to fill in space and a mul�func�onal room that func�ons as an ac�vity room
UNDERGROUND LAYOUT PLAN 7 4
1
1
1
1
1
4
LIBRARY
CLASSROOM
OFFICE
TOILET
RECEPTION
materials CARPET TILES
TERAZZO
MATTE FINISHED WALL PAINT
RUBBER FLOORING TILES
1
2
3
4
PARQUET FLOORING LIGHT WOOD 5
DARK WOOD LAMINATE
OUTDOOR TILES FLOORING
6
7
RUBBER WALLCOVER
8
3| AQUAPONIC LEARNING MEDIA Teaching kids where food really comes from and for a be�er understanding of life cycles concep. At the same �mes, becoming a�uned with nature and raise awareness of their environment .
4 | READING AREA Reading Nets allowing children to float and have the freedom to move around freely, making reading an enjoyable ac�vity to do alone and with friends
5 | CANTEEN A space for spending their lunchbreaks with friends and wai�ng area for parents / caregiver