Hawaii School to Build Innovative DREAMS Facility

WAIHAPU, Hawaii — The Hawaii Department of Education and Waihapu Intermediate School have partnered with Santa Monica, Calif.-based DLR Group to design a facility that will house the school’s new DREAMS Program. The Digital media, Robotics, Engineering/Electronics, Animation, Music and Science (DREAMS) facility will serve the school’s 1,200 seventh and eighth grade students, and allow the school to provide 21st century learning opportunities in a collaborative, student-led environment.
According to a release provided by DLR Group, the design will provide Waihapu Intermediate School with 30,000 square feet of specialized learning spaces, including classrooms, instructional labs and flexible areas for small or large group study. A joint partnership with ‘Olelo Community Media will also help support the school’s Digital Media curriculum.
“Waipahu Intermediate School’s DREAMS program is the epitome of 21st century learning. DLR Group is thrilled to design the first facility of this type in Hawaii,” DLR Group Principal Lisa Johnson, AIA, said in a statement. “Our design will feature abundant technology and a variety of flexible learning spaces that will allow students to follow their talents and passion.”
Further expanding the Oahu-based school, DLR Group’s design team will also create a commons and faculty center to connect the campus and surrounding community. A new auditorium will allow the school to screen both student and community productions. Construction of the $10 million facility is expected to begin in September 2015 and will be completed in summer of 2016.

In addition to providing the school with high quality spaces for science and technology education, the facility must also meet sustainability goals outlined by the state’s Collaborative for High Performance Schools criteria. Hawaii was the 13th state to adopt the criteria for new construction projects, requiring DLR designers to purse a variety of sustainable energy approaches. According to a statement, the DREAMS facility will include natural daylighting, natural ventilation capability, photovoltaic panels for on-sire renewable energy production, and a high efficiency mechanical system.
DLR Group has a wealth of experience designing for science and technology-based spaces. DLR teams have also completed STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) spaces at Hennepin Technical College in Eden Prairie, Minn. and the Evie Garrett Dennis E-12 Campus in Denver.