Master Plan Study 2009

The Blake School Mission

The Blake School provides students with an excellent, academically challenging education in a diverse and supportive community committed to a common set of values. Students are expected to participate in an integrated program of academic, artistic and athletic activities in preparation for college, lifelong learning, community service and lives as responsible world citizens.

Introduction

Throughout its more than 100 year history, The Blake School has maintained a commitment to excellence. To continue this excellence, the School recognized the need to make better, more efficient decisions regarding its Blake campus in Hopkins. The administrative team selected DLR Group to lead the development of a comprehensive master plan that provides a five-year, 10-year and 25-year outlook for this campus.

The Master Plan Process

Initial facility Inventory/Assessment
DLR Group walked through the buildings of the Blake campus with representatives of the School. Facility conditions, shortcomings and space use were documented. This information was compiled with existing building data and curriculum and program objectives.

Information Gathering
DLR Group met with the various user groups, soliciting input on ways the facilities could better serve the unique needs of the students, staff, faculty and the Blake community. More than 26 meetings were held with the master plan committees established by the School. Tours of Eden Prairie High School and Holy Angels Academy provided points of comparison for similar facilities.

Design Workshop
DLR Group led a 2-day design workshop. More than 40 stakeholders invited by the School participated in the interactive charrette.

The first task of the workshop was to define the goals for the master plan. Issues raised during numerous subcommittee meetings were explored and became the basis of the design goals

Goals
Connectivity & organization of space for pedestrians & transit
  • relate points of entry to campus and site
  • functional circulation throughout
Maintain & build a welcoming sense of community
  • focus on tradition, history, relationships & engagement of spatial environments
  • safe, secure & child-centered campus design
Be responsible & sustainable
  • maintain as much green space & trees as possible
  • use features/amenities as educational tools wherever possible
Develop physical campus to reflect the quality of education delivered by The Blake School

In Conclusion

The end result of this thoughtful process was the development of the recommended Master Plan 2009 that could guide the School’s evolution of its Blake campus in the decades to come. See attached visuals of aerial shot of the campus and one of the master plan options (a potential, revised "footprint"). While currently there are no specific plans to expand or shift facilities, the plan will assist school leadership in its decision making when the opportunity arises.