The Discovery Building: amazing or aMAZEing?
Sophie Salem, Staff Writer
After years of listening to knocking and banging on repeat, the Discovery Building is finally finished. With five floors, a rooftop garden and an Olympic-sized pool, this new building is like no other, but despite its pros, the Discovery Building has various cons, making it quite dysfunctional.
From the day students were first allowed into the new building, it was clearly a challenge to navigate. Given that every floor looks identical, many students found themselves walking in circles in search of their next class.
“It was probably the hardest to navigate during my first week back at school,” Carys Mckenzie (’22) said.
According to HED Design, a design and engineering firm, the goal of the Discovery Building was to be an “open building” with an innovative structure. Unfortunately, the building hasn’t proven to be very “open,” and it’s no lie that the Discovery Building resembles a maze. Seriously, even two months into the school year, many students still get lost within the hallways and can't seem to find their way.
As many students agree, the Discovery Building is either freezing cold or burning hot. There’s no in between! Not to mention, teachers have no control of the temperature in their rooms, so students must come prepared. It is important to bring a sweatshirt just in case you feel like you are contracting frostbite, and maybe a cold water bottle for the days that give students heat stroke. Though this building is brand new, they can’t seem to get the temperature right.
“Although [the building] is pretty to look at, it doesn't work on the inside,” Alex Green (’24) said.
You’ve probably heard of the mobs of students during passing periods, and it’s safe to say that students must push their way through the crowd in order to get to class on time. This is especially an issue on the main stairway to the Discovery Building.
Though there is a lot of space for students to lounge, the majority of the stairway is seating, while only a small part is accessible stairs. You could say this seating is almost like a set of gigantic stairs, making it impossible to climb up. So, students are stuck within the crowd on the stairs and waiting in line just to reach the second floor. Not only is this an issue on the main stairway of the Discovery Building, it is also a matter of contention inside the building. According to many students, there is too much seating and not enough stairs!
“The stairs, which only measure a few feet across, ensure that students will almost always face a traffic jam when they try to get to their next class,” Maya Knauf (’23) said.
On the brighter side, the Discovery Building has a great deal of seating for students outside of the classroom. Not only is there plenty of seating, but the seats are incredibly comfortable. Each couch is equipped with outlets and side tables where students can get their work done and socialize with their peers.These common spaces help students to connect and have a place other than the classroom, especially after a year and a half of being antisocial. Additionally, larger classrooms and extra space gives students the opportunity to work with less distractions.
“The chairs are nice and I see a lot of people using them,” Isaac Bourdeau (’25) said.
There are various pros and cons to the Discovery Building, but the fact of the matter is that it has been a huge bump in the road for many students. With unpredictable temperatures, a maze-like layout and crowded halls, students are still working toward getting used to the new building. However, it seems as though the building is slowly working itself out. Teachers are getting more acquainted with ways to utilize their classrooms and crowds are starting to even out. Despite the erratic fire alarm, it is clear that the Discovery Building is getting to be more functional and advantageous to students.
Photo by Sophie Salem