Spatial Specifications
Building-science metrics for the physical plant
This companion brief translates each Socratic learning goal into measurable criteria for architects, contractors, school-board developers, and facilities staff. The numbers are targets, not ornaments: they protect the conditions that let attention, dialogue, and neuroplasticity flourish.
How to use this document
From intention to measurable criteria
Every row pairs a design intention with a target metric. Some targets are drawn from established building-science standards; others are specific to the Academy's method. Use the table as a baseline for design review, contractor bidding, and post-occupancy evaluation.
Where a target conflicts with budget or code, document the deviation and its expected impact on learning. The building is a teacher; compromises should be made knowingly.
Cost note. These specifications describe a high-performance learning environment. Delivering them in a new-build campus — land, structure, MEP, building-technology integration, and landscape — is a several-million-dollar capital project separate from the $662,900 pilot operating budget. Donated hardware or software can reduce the visible technology line, but the expert time to meet these targets — architects, acousticians, MEP engineers, landscape designers, and systems integrators — would cost many multiples of the pilot's $73,400 technology allocation. Treat the specs as the target brief for that capital phase, not as a price list for the pilot year.
Daylight and visual environment
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Useful daylight illuminance (UDI) | 300–3,000 lux for >50% of occupied hours |
| Glazing ratio | ≥40% of floor area on two orientations where possible |
| View quality | Direct line of sight to vegetation from every occupied position |
| Artificial lighting | Flicker-free, dimmable, CRI ≥90, tunable-white to match circadian phase |
| Color temperature | 4,000–5,000 K during active hours; warmer in evening programs |
Acoustics
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Background noise level (NC) | NC-25 to NC-30 in learning zones |
| Reverberation time T60 | 0.4–0.6 s for Socratic circles; up to 1.0 s in music salon |
| Wall geometry | Non-parallel primary surfaces with ≥15° deviation from parallel |
| Acoustic absorption | NRC ≥0.75 on ≥30% of ceiling and upper-wall surface |
| Sound transmission class (STC) | STC ≥50 between learning rooms and active zones |
Materials and indoor air quality
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| VOC emissions | CDPH Section 01350 compliant; formaldehyde < 9 µg/m³ |
| Allergen control | No latex, no added fragrance, low-protein animal fibers only |
| Primary finishes | Solid timber, clay plaster, natural cork, untreated wool, stone |
| Surface touch | Warm-to-touch natural materials on surfaces below 1.2 m height |
| Moisture management | Vapor-open assemblies; relative humidity maintained 40–60% |
Compute and AI stations
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Station density | One station per 8–10 students; perimeter placement only |
| Display | ≥24 in, anti-glare, adjustable arm, blue-light reduction after 14:00 |
| Network | Wired gigabit to each station; redundant wireless coverage |
| Audio | Directional microphone + noise-canceling headphones for oral Socratic sessions |
| Ergonomics | Sit-stand desk surface; chair sized to student anthropometrics |
Gathering and sprawl spaces
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Gathering table size | Seats 10–14; clear sightlines; central location per room |
| Sprawl floor area | ≥25% of learning-room area with varied cushion heights |
| Floor finish | Resilient natural-fiber surface; easy to clean; non-slip |
| Flexibility | Movable furniture on casters or lightweight enough for students to reconfigure |
| Social density | No long rows; clusters of 4–6 to support peer dialogue |
Music, dance, and movement
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Music salon area | ≥20 m² with instrument storage and acoustic separation |
| Instrument inventory | Percussion, counting-blocks, simple stringed instruments, all within child reach |
| Dance floor | Sprung wood or equivalent resilient surface; clear ceiling height ≥3.5 m |
| Mirrors | Optional, partial, and removable to avoid over-emphasis on appearance |
| Ventilation | Dedicated outdoor air rate 1.5× standard classroom minimum |
Outdoor connection and biophilia
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Outdoor learning area | Covered porch or pavilion adjacent to each learning room |
| Nature access | Every room within 30 m of planted ground or garden |
| Native planting | ≥70% native species; no neonicotinoid-treated plants |
| Walking paths | Looped trail ≥200 m total on or adjacent to campus |
| Water feature | Small recirculating feature or rain garden for sensory calm |
Ventilation and thermal comfort
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Outdoor air rate | ≥10 L/s per person; demand-controlled CO₂ < 800 ppm |
| Temperature | 20–24 °C during occupied hours; radiant asymmetry < 5 °C |
| Air filtration | MERV-13 minimum; portable HEPA units in high-activity zones |
| Operable windows | Where climate allows; interlocked with mechanical systems |
| Thermal zoning | Per-room control; no hot/cold spots at student level |
Verification
Commissioning and post-occupancy review
The campus should be commissioned against these metrics before students arrive. After occupancy, repeat key measurements annually: daylight levels, acoustic reverberation, CO₂, and temperature uniformity. Student and guide feedback is also a metric — if the space feels hurried, loud, or sterile, the numbers are not yet right.