Reimagining Housing Options for the Sisters Elementary School Site

University of Oregon Architecture students proposed site designs and adaptive reuse ideas for the existing Sisters Elementary School and outdoor recreational uses and affordable housing. Student housing proposals fell into four main categories: 1) Housing on top of the school 2) Housing on the west side of the site 3) Housing in groups of clusters 4) Housing as larger volumes Students worked together and independently to improve the quality of life and community in Sisters, Oregon, through design. Students focused on creating spaces for future residents that would serve a range of family sizes and types. Students also proposed outdoor spaces that are designed to serve the community in a variety of ways, mostly through recreational activities such as sports. Proposed designs considered the future Highway 20 roundabout that will be built adjacent to the site, which will slow traffic down as it travels through the central part of Sisters. Students also proposed site layouts that will better accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists as they travel through and around the site. To formulate their designs, students started with case studies, diagrams, and process models. They also completed a detailed site analysis, which included a field trip to the site and the city of Sisters. This helped the students visualize and understand the site, the community, and the community’s needs. Students also researched relevant demographics within Sisters, Oregon, including the school district since their project focus included adaptive reuse of the current elementary school and affordable housing for existing and incoming teachers. Every student designed distinct details within their designs, such as splash pads, a community amphitheater, gardens, and unique connections from the proposed housing to the community spaces. Students strived to reflect the current culture of the community in their designs while adding to the existing beauty of Sisters, Oregon. This report summarizes the three different housing approaches while highlighting details within some of the designs for the affordable housing, adaptive reuse and site design in Sisters, Oregon.