Terry Huang, Matthew Trowbridge, VMDO Architects
THE DINING COMMONS represents a new direction in design research; architects, public health researchers, educators, and VS come together to examine one of the most complex environmental health issues of our time: childhood obesity. This design-research partnership marks a powerful moment in the design of learning environments as experts from disparate yet interrelated disciplines engage with the problem of childhood obesity by seeking to understand the political, social, economic, ecological, and infrastructural agendas that make up the school food environment. The DINING COMMONS highlights design strategies implemented at the Carter G. Woodson Education Complex in Buckingham County, VA. This K-5 campus project was completed in Summer 2012 with the aim of promoting healthful eating and physical activity with a particular emphasis on the design of indoor and outdoor dining, teaching / activity spaces, and connectivity with the larger community. Follow-up studies will be conducted by academic institutions from across the country.
