Jillian Bartell

The Judy Heumann High School

This project is an inclusive micro high school located in Calgary, AB. Creating a learning environment that has a diverse group of students has been shown to improve social connections for students with and without disabilities. Becoming a more compassionate society starts in grade school where young people can grow in independence and understanding of one another. My thesis is designed to show that a dynamic learning environment is possible and can help slowly decay the social narrative that people must be “normal” to be successful in this world.

The Background

Judy Heumann is a disability activist that led Disabled in Action, which was a civil rights group for people with disabilities that started in 1972. Disabled in Action protested and advocated the removal of physical barriers so that people with disabilities could access buildings and have as much independence as possible in everyday life. Through this disability rights movement the American Government finally signed the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. This act ensures that there is zero tolerance for the exclusion or segregation of people with disabilities.

Judy Heumann’s lifelong dedication to being a disability rights advocate has now made her an internationally known leader for people with disabilities. Her compassionate values and tremendous efforts encompass everything the new micro high school in Calgary is about.

My understanding of school environments is significant because of my sister who has down syndrome. Throughout her academic life she has always been included in the public mainstream education system. Her experience revealed how society does not always know how to interact with people with disabilities, due to the majority of students with disabilities being segregated. This separation has put people with disabilities at a disadvantage when it comes to socializing and making genuine connections. To prevent this moving forward, school designs need to change. Through my thesis I want to create an inclusive school design that will remove barriers so people with disabilities can have an easy transition into mainstream high school.

The Experiential and Atmosphere

Inclusion and biophilia are at the forefront of this project. The Judy Heumann High School goes beyond just being accessible through incorporating sensory wayfinding and circulation techniques that enhance the user experience. Plant life throughout the school will help the students’ mental and physical health. Students will learn how to care for plants, understand the benefits of aquaponics systems and gain an appreciation for the nature that surrounds them.

A loop system will be incorporated into the project which is a wire under the floor that will begins at the entrance, near the reception area. Where the loop system begins, a sign showing an ear on it is placed to inform users (who have hearing aids or cochlear implants) that the loop will improve their hearing to become crystal clear, without the issue of too much background noise.

The Judy Heumann High School has designated space for students to retreat to when feeling stressed or overwhelmed. These spaces are called reset pods. The pods vary in design and materiality. One pod is designed to be a sensory room, which is a darker room that contains a bubble tube, fiber optic sprays, and a tactile wall panel. The other pod is lighter and contains more natural components and features a calming sound machine.

A pebble path is included in the floor design to act as a natural guide for blind users to navigate the space. The textured path offers a different method of physical navigation and benefits the user by offering a unique experience. This wayfinding tool also provides users with the ability to know when an intersecting path of travel is approaching.

The washrooms in my thesis project are genderless, which are based on Joel Sanders Architect / Mix-design project called “STALLED!” (seen above). This project is a guide to creating public washrooms that are centered around inclusion for everyone. This is accomplished by making individual full-partition stalls into the most private space in the design, thus breaking down heteronormative barriers.

The Concept

"The Organic Line"

A unique user group of students that are interconnected by the space, is symbolized by the organic line. Students will learn compassion and understanding for one another in a natural environment.