The San Carlos (Calif.) School District was in the midst of implementing its master plan when it awarded Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Blach Construction a $30 million contract to build a new 44,000-sf, two-story classroom building at Central Middle School, and remodel the existing building.
That project became the testing ground for Folia, an economical method for school construction that QKA, Blach, and structural engineer Gregory P. Luth and Associates had been working on since 2011.
Building K-12 schools in California poses two problems: it takes forever and it costs a fortune. The San Carlos School District needed to accommodate a student population that’s projected to grow to nearly 4,000 students by 2020, from 3,400 today. Given the high cost of real estate in northern California’s Bay Area, the district chose to optimize its existing properties to address its capacity needs.
Folia, which derives from the Greek word meaning “nest,” provides an alternative to traditional steel-framed classroom construction. Unlike modular construction, the Folia system offers design flexibility for any campus or classroom configuration.
A key to Folia is customized pre-engineering within standardized parameters, says Steve Kwok, a AIA, Partner with QKA. For example, all braced frames are 10 feet wide. The width of the foundation is the same for all school models. Blach produces the building’s braced frames and 10x30-foot exterior steel wall panels in its shop and delivers them to the job site.
Kwok estimates that a Folia school costs about $400 per sf, compared to $500-plus for a traditionally built school. As important, the Building Team took 10 months to complete Central Middle School, which Kwok says is much faster than conventional building methods.
A Folia school is designed to exceed California’s Green Building Code and Energy Code standards. In June, The Division of the State Architect pre-checked a Folia two-story
L-shaped prototype with 12 classrooms. A DSA pre-check shaves months off the design and construction time.
Read about more innovations from BD+C's 2016 Great Solutions Report
Related Stories
Great Solutions | Oct 17, 2017
Loop NYC would reclaim 24 miles of park space from Manhattan’s street grid
A new proposal leverages driverless cars to free up almost all of Manhattan’s Park Avenue and Broadway for pedestrian paths.
Great Solutions | Sep 14, 2017
Hydraulic underground boardwalk and gangway system reunites the public with the coastline in Istanbul
The bespoke system is part of a master plan by Dror and Gensler that creates the world’s first underground cruise operation.
Great Solutions | Aug 14, 2017
Transmogrifying ‘E ink,’ energy-harvesting paint remove the ‘fiction’ from ‘science fiction’
These materials can turn an ordinary wall into dynamic real estate.
Great Solutions | Jul 12, 2017
The writing on the wall: Maker spaces encourage students to take an active role
Maker spaces, dry-erase walls, and flexible furniture highlight Kinkaid’s new Learning Center.
Great Solutions | Jun 6, 2017
Good vibrations: Portable tuned mass damper provides lightweight, cost-effective way to reduce structural vibrations
Developed by a team at Virginia Tech, the PTMD has been shown to reduce vibrations by as much as 75%.
Great Solutions | May 5, 2017
No nails necessary: Framing system comes together with steel zip ties and screws
Clemson University’s School of Architecture develops a patent-pending construction method that is gaining attention for its potential use in rapid, low-tech sustainable housing.
Great Solutions | Apr 6, 2017
Phone booths for the 21st century
Spotting a phone booth on a public street may not become any less rare, but they may soon become fixtures in the modern office.
Great Solutions | Mar 8, 2017
Pop-out balcony is a breath of fresh air for stuffy hotel rooms and apartments
In less than one minute, Bloomframe transforms from an insulated picture window to an open balcony.
Great Solutions | Feb 3, 2017
Drone-based hospitality concept looks to make nomads of us all
Driftscape could take the resort industry to places no hotel has ventured before.
AEC Tech | Sep 6, 2016
Innovation intervention: How AEC firms are driving growth through R&D programs
AEC firms are taking a page from the tech industry, by infusing a deep commitment to innovation and disruption into their cultural DNA.