Chinese Christian Schools
By: Frances Putman
Chinese Christian Schools began in 1979 as a ministry of the Bay Area Chinese Bible Church in Oakland , Calif. The school, which started with just 13 students, first operated out of two one-bedroom apartments, with no air-conditioning and a makeshift playground set up in a connecting driveway.
But church leaders had a vision of creating an academically advanced learning environment, where students would be immersed in both Asian traditions and culture and Christian philosophy and practice.
Today, the school serves more than 900 students on two campuses, in San Leandro and Alameda . In addition to a rigorous academic schedule, students take required Bible and Asian culture classes and learn the Mandarin and Cantonese languages. Chinese Christian Schools has been named a national Blue Ribbon School and has produced several National Merit Scholars. For many years, 100 percent of the graduates have gone on to attend college.
"It is an exceptional educational environment," said Paul Bunton, president of Bunton Clifford Associates, Inc. in Fremont , Calif. , a firm working with the ministry on its multi-phase facility in Alameda . "Just walking on the campus, you see the care and concern the staff has for students."
In 1985, Bay Area Chinese Bible Church and Chinese Christian Schools leased a public school building in San Leandro , which remains the ministry's main facility. Four church services are held each Sunday in a 300-seat multi-purpose room, which serves as the school's cafeteria through the week. Each Sunday, as many as 850 people come to worship in the sanctuary/lunchroom.
A few years ago, the church and school found a 17-acre property overlooking the San Francisco Bay in the Harbor Bay Business Park in Alameda . They decided it was the right place to relocate the growing ministry. Bunton Clifford and Associates, Inc. was chosen to design the master plan, which includes four phases. The first, completed in 2003, is a $7-million elementary school, with the capacity to serve 500 students. Subsequent phases will include an interim worship center and multi-purpose building, permanent worship center, and, finally, a junior high and high school.
The elementary school, which includes grades K through 5, sits squarely between a business park and a residential neighborhood in Alameda . Designing for that location proved to be a challenge for Bunton Clifford.
"It's always our responsibility to integrate a design into the existing community," Bunton said. "It has to relate to what is next to it."
To accomplish this, the school was designed primarily as a two-story structure, stepping down and angling to a one-story structure on the side closest to the residential community.
"We were sensitive to the line of sight within the neighborhood," Bunton added, noting that the rooflines also were designed to complement neighboring properties. While the two-story section has a flat roof, the one-story section has a sloped, gabled roofline that connects more with the residential community.
Because most of the buildings in the surrounding industrial park have a concrete exterior with steel accents, this theme was carried out in the school as well. The exterior is primarily concrete, with steel window shades and brackets. This solid concrete material also was a good choice because of the school's proximity to the Oakland International Airport . Concrete helps insulate the school from the added noise and improves the acoustics inside. While a traditional concrete exterior can seem cold and institutional, care was again taken to tie the school to its residential neighbors. A green color was added in mixing part of the concrete used on the one-story section of the building, and an exposed aggregate technique, created by sandblasting, was employed to give the building a warmer, more inviting feel.
Inside, the school was designed to meet the needs of the young children who are now attending. On the first floor are administrative offices, a lunchroom, teachers' lounge and a multi-purpose room used for assemblies and indoor play. Also on the lower level are the kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms. Each of the kindergarten and first grade classrooms opens directly into the lower level play area, which is completely secured by fencing. Play areas for the upper grades lie just beyond those created for the younger children. Third, fourth and fifth grade classrooms occupy the second level of the two-story part of the building
At the school's grand opening in 2003, the city of Alameda 's director of planning called the facility the "single most beautiful development in Alameda in years." And, the addition of the new school has sparked excitement within the community.
However, there was a time when some residents were not so sure the ministry was right for their area. Some actively fought against it, leading to one of the biggest challenges the ministry and its architects had to overcome.
"Some neighbors in the adjacent residences put together a group that actively fought against the entire development," Bunton said, adding that challenges like this, especially concerning churches and schools, are common in some states, like California .
The group put forth an appeal to the city to stop the ministry from occupying the property. Bunton and others involved endured a 10-hour hearing process, during which many concerns were discussed and addressed.
Some residents, he said, were concerned about the possibility of increased traffic, noise from the school and perhaps diminishing property values. Concerns about the height and style of the building had been addressed by the architects in the initial concept, so no changes were made in the actual design of the building.
"We worked collaboratively with (the neighbors), methodically working through the issues of concern," Bunton recalled. "Persistence and continuing to partner with the neighborhood were critical to the success of the project."
Finally, the ministry received an approval, with certain conditions, which Bunton believes are beneficial for all in the community. The number of vehicles entering and leaving the school was reduced by offering alternative transportation and encouraging carpooling. Ultimately, this is good for the environment, he pointed out, and reduces the use of fossil fuels.
Bunton's advice to church or school leaders considering a new school building project is simple.
"Get the right team," he said, adding it is important to find the right architect who can become a partner in the process. "You need people you can trust implementing your plan."
Bunton Clifford Associates (BCA), www.bcainconline.com , is an award-winning architectural firm delivering professional expertise to both the public and private sectors. Located in Fremont , Calif. , the firm has worked with many educational clients.
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Fast Facts
School: Chinese Christian Schools
Location: Alameda , California
New building: Elementary school (Phase one of four)
Capacity: 500 students
Cost: $7 million
Design challenge: Integrating school within existing community, including nearby residential neighborhood and business park
Future phases: Interim worship center and multi-purpose building, permanent worship center, and, finally, a junior high and high school
