Spaces

At the end of 2019, the whispers began. Students and teachers alike had gathered bits and pieces of information from supposed text messages and overheard conversations. Nothing was definite though. This lack of evidence, however, did not stop speculation from running rampant and many of our imaginations from running wild.

“Please, just let there be bigger classrooms.”

“Clean air. All I want is clean air.”

“I would like a single window THAT ACTUALLY HAS A VIEW OUTSIDE.”

After having spent some time in the Shinhwa Building, its flaws became glaringly obvious. The physical space itself was awkward; classrooms varied significantly in size and shape and the layout did not flow naturally. The heating/air conditioner units were linked to multiple rooms which led to on/off battles between teachers trying to maintain a bearable temperature in their rooms. The air system emitted a good amount of dust too and required each classroom have its own air filter. The space had its fair share of battle scars, as any academy would, and though the floors and doors were replaced and a new coat of paint was slapped on every few years, it was getting old.

In December, it was confirmed that PEAI would indeed be moving to a new space just down the road. The new space, the EH Tower, was brand new and we would be its first ever tenants. It was a modern building and each floor was purposefully designed to meet PEAI’s unique needs. Each classroom had its own heating/air conditioner unit. The walls of the exterior were all glass. It sounded like a dream. Could it possibly be so great?

After hearing the news, I spoke to my peer, Yong, about the move. He too was enthusiastic, but cautiously so. He had been through a similar move at a different academy. And though the new space was shiny, modern, and new—it just didn’t feel right. It was too spotlessly clean, devoid of any personality and the magic from the previous space was absent.

Simply moving the students, teachers, and staff to a new space does not ensure that it will have that same intangible magic as the previous. What exactly is this magic? That, I can’t quite say. I believe it to be a concoction of thousands of physical and abstract elements mixed together. I think it would include the lively buzz of hundreds of students packed like sardines in a tin across two floors, staff members sitting together behind one desk, a shared teachers’ lounge, playful back-and-forths to control classroom temperature, unfortunate classrooms without windows, and of course, a dash of dust. You don’t ever quite appreciate something until it’s gone do you?

Let’s be clear. The EH Tower is even better than I had imagined it. J, the Director of PEAI, did an outstanding job designing and furnishing PEAI’s new space. And the current magic level at PEAI seems to be within a tolerable range. PEAI won’t ever be the same as it was in the Shinhwa Building and that’s okay. This change was necessary for the future success of the academy and we have a critical mass of dedicated students, teachers, and staff to manifest the PEAI magic in our new space.

Let’s get started.

-Brenden Lee