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The Teton Valley Community School (TVCS) - overall winner of the Open Architecture Challenge - is a non-profit independent school located in Victor, Idaho.
With funding from Architecture for Humanity and other partners, the school is undertaking the project of building the winning classroom design - ultimately, for (4) additional classrooms.
As the 2009-2010 school year is coming to an end, the Teton Valley Community School (TVCS) board, staff, students, and volunteers are gearing up for a busy summer of awareness events, fundraising, and ground breaking for the award-winning classrooms. TVCS has raised over $100,000 in addition to the AFH grant to support the construction planning phase of the project. This allowed the school to officially hire architect Emma Adkisson and pay for an engineered site plan and draft construction drawings. In addition, the City of Victor approvals process has been completed and utility easements have been negotiated with neighboring property owners. Fundraising consultant Elaine Walsh Carney has been hired to conduct a capital campaign planning study this summer.
The master plan for the TVCS campus includes the addition of five classroom units interconnected with bridges, pods, gardens and natural play areas. Flexible interior configurations let teachers design age-appropriate settings for the students while accommodating a diversity of community uses. Attached greenhouses compliment the school’s existing farm and garden program and help heat the classrooms during the winter months. Other sustainable elements include daylighting, straw bale walls, gray water toilets and geothermal technology.
Teton Valley Community School plans to move forward with ground breaking efforts in the summer of 2010. This will involve connecting city water and sewer-lines to the site, installation of an underground geothermal loop system, vehicle access and parking lot reconstruction, and pathway work. Due to the relatively short construction season in the Greater Yellowstone Area, this will allow the school to be on tract to complete at least three new classrooms during the summer of 2011.
