Thesis - Alternative Education Facility
Thesis - Alternative Education Facility from Sania Khan
Thesis - Alternative Education Facility

For my thesis project I had designed an alternative secondary school for LGBTQ and intersexed youth who are affected by discrimination in mainstream high schools. I spoke to some people at The Triangle Program which is currently the only school of its kind in Canada. I asked them if they could be my “client” for my thesis project and they were excited to participate!

Back in September of 2010, I had to think of a gap, a niche in the community, something needed, and I thought of a close friend of mine who attended the Triangle Program and how it helped him to reach the goals he found difficult to reach in the mainstream high school he attended before. He shared his stories with me, both bitter and sweet; it was a worthy project to pursue.

For the project I chose a building (as part of the thesis requirements) to transform into the program I had proposed.
Unfourtunately, this project is not meant to be actualized in real, though I was to plan it as if it were.

Figure Ground Drawing - The building used was located in a dense downtown surround and sandwiched between a condo and shops. It had the potential to allow a lot of natural light into the building without overwhelming it due to its north-west facing facade. Skills Used: AutoCAD; Illustrator; Photoshop
Facade and Street Context - These yellow circles represent photons (i.e. light) entering into the building wherein the light "infuses" with the Triangle Program to promote life, health, growth, harmony, and spirit for the users. Skills Used: Physical model making; Photoshop
Relationship of Sunlight and the Interior Space - Skills Used: AutoCAD; Illustrator; Photoshop
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Thesis Show Poster - One of the colours of the Pride Flag means serenity or harmony which relates to the ying yang symbol and thus the symbiotic relationships that exist in school environments and programming such as teacher-student, community-school, or city-community. Sunlight, one of the meanings of the Pride flag colours is a strong, unifying symbol. It is a major factor behind nature and life. While life inspires art…light infuses life! Skills Used: AutoCAD; Illustrator; Photoshop; SketchUp; hand rendering
Design Development - Architecturally, I had placed lightwells in key areas where symbiotic relationships in the space can be enforced, making an architectural and visual connection between those elements. Skills Used: SketchUp; Photoshop
Ground Floor Plan - Skills Used: AutoCAD; Illustrator
Second Floor Plan - Skills Used: AutoCAD; Illustrator
Third Floor Plan - Skills Used: AutoCAD; Illustrator
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Longitudinal Section - Skills Used: AutoCAD, Illustrator
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Cross Section - Sillks Used: SketchUp; Illustrator
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Perspective Section of the Facility - Skills Used: SketchUp, Illustrator
View of Green Roof Terrace on Second Floor - Skills Used: Hand rendered; enhanced with Photoshop
Assembly Space and Stage | Integrated Learning Zone - Skills Used: Hand renderings; enhanced with Photoshop
Main Reception Space - View from Guidance Offices | View of Cafeteria from Main Stair - Skills Used: Hand rendered and enhanced with Photoshop
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Sample Board - Use of organic and colourful materials conducive to the concept
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Thesis - Alternative Education Facility

For my thesis project I had designed an alternative secondary school for LGBTQ and intersexed youth who are affected by discrimination in mainstream high schools. I spoke to some people at The Triangle Program which is currently the only school of its kind in Canada. I asked them if they could be my “client” for my thesis project and they were excited to participate!

Back in September of 2010, I had to think of a gap, a niche in the community, something needed, and I thought of a close friend of mine who attended the Triangle Program and how it helped him to reach the goals he found difficult to reach in the mainstream high school he attended before. He shared his stories with me, both bitter and sweet; it was a worthy project to pursue.

For the project I chose a building (as part of the thesis requirements) to transform into the program I had proposed.
Unfourtunately, this project is not meant to be actualized in real, though I was to plan it as if it were.

Sania Khan
Designer Quebec, Canada