Does anyone know if a workshop area is considered a "core learning space" or an "ancilliary learning space"? Our project is a Vocational High School and for each vocational program offered there is a Core Learning Classroom and a Workshop. We have workshops going from Printmaking to Construction and even Toolmaking, among others, and we are wondering if the NRC .7 requirement is also applicable to this workshop areas. Our interpretation is that these are considered "Ancilliary Learning Spaces" according to the definition, since the formal instruction is given on the Classroom. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
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Daniel Hicks
Daniel Hicks, E.I., INCEGeiler & Associates
267 thumbs up
April 12, 2012 - 3:51 pm
Hi Jessica:
If each workshop area had a dedicated classroom, I think you would have a pretty good argument that the workshop areas are ancillary, areas only used for students to work on their projects. On the flipside, I recently had a project where the workshops did not have dedicated classrooms and we elected to call them core learning spaces because some instruction would occur in the workshop.
Jessica Diaz
Architect, LEED APV Architecture
6 thumbs up
April 16, 2012 - 11:27 am
Thanks a lot Daniel! I greatly appreciate your prompt response. I will let you know if we have any problems with that interpretation or if we find any other information on this.
Thank you!
DuWayne Baird
PrincipalEA Energy Solutions, LLC
15 thumbs up
May 11, 2013 - 5:42 pm
I was wondering if this approach had been succesful? I have a project with a similar situation and I wanted to go this route if it was accepted by GBCI.
Bill Swanson
Sr. Electrical EngineerIntegrated Design Solutions
LEEDuser Expert
731 thumbs up
July 10, 2018 - 2:09 pm
I have a school with science labs and adjacent classrooms. I was recently on a conference call with GBCI and I was trying to argue that the science labs are not core learning spaces. That these spaces are "ancilliary learning spaces" because there is an adjacent classroom with a door for direct access between the rooms. Core learning would be done in the classroom spaces and the labs are ancilliary to these classrooms.
My argument did not go over well. The GBCI staff member was looking at the definition of "Core learning space" and kept saying that "good speech communication is critical" in these labs, just like any other classroom. Therefore they are also core learning spaces. She did not care if a classroom was connected to the labs.
Just sharing my experience.