Many school and college campuses are like small cities--they offer a little bit of everything. Although academic buildings and residence halls account for a sizable percentage of the facilities on a campus, the academic community on a school campus can include other buildings with specialized design and performance needs: laboratories,…

School design has developed into a specialized area in the interior design field. When considering candidates for a school or university project, education institutions should move beyond a prospective designer's resume of experience and accomplishments in order to get a better handle on what to expect when working together. This article offers…

Making furniture decisions can involve many factors, and they vary from institution to institution. For fixtures, furnishings and equipment, comparing initial cost with the cost of ownership over a life cycle can be more challenging. It may be the functionality of the furnishings that provides the greatest return on investment. In this article,…

While some Olympic results don't leave room for argument, scoring other events such as gymnastics, is subjective. So much so that in 2006, the "Code of Points" and the entire scoring system were overhauled. It is the same with school design. One might think it would be nice to have a "Code of Points," so that every education institution could…

This article presents the profiles of the jury of this year's Educational Interiors Showcase competition. David Magida has served as Chief Administrator at Norwich University for 15 years. Frank Sever is currently serving as the supervisor of buildings, grounds & equipment department of the Mayfield City School District. Charles A. Wilson III, a…

"It's what's on the inside that counts"--at least when it comes to "American School & University's" (AS&U's) annual Educational Interiors Showcase competition. Each May, "AS&U" assembles at its Overland Park, Kansas headquarters a jury made up of education and architectural professionals from across the country to pore over an array of exceptional…

This article reports a study conducted by members of the WellU Academic Integration Subcommittee of The College of St. Scholastica's College's Healthy Campus Initiative plan whose purpose was to determine whether changing color in the classroom could have a measurable effect on students. One simple improvement a school can make in a classroom is…

Explores why flexibility is an essential component in the design of multipurpose performing-arts centers for schools. Discusses stage size and shape, seating configuration, and design considerations for improving lighting and sound. (GR)

In this article, the author explores and weighs all the options in choosing furniture for student housing. The first step in acquiring or upgrading residence hall furniture is to research. The Internet and colleagues on campus or at other institutions are options for gathering information. After researching product choices, administrators need to…

Discusses how college residence hall design can foster collegiality, communication, interaction, and a unique sense of place. Various planning and design principles are examined. (GR)

Classrooms often get the short shrift when it comes to designing a space that allows for optimum hearing conditions for students and speaking conditions for teachers. Over the last few years, increasing concern from state regulators and facility designers has focused greater attention on improving acoustics. The main acoustical issues to consider…

Explores how well-equipped and well-maintained restrooms can help prevent their being vandalized. Products such as no-touch soap systems, sensor-operated faucets, and graffiti-resistant partitions are discussed as is the use of vandal-resistant materials for the restroom's interior space. Finally, specific school policies are detailed that can…

Explains how schools can be designed to meet the changing needs in education, such as changes in classroom function, educational technology, curriculum, and enrollment. Ideas for creating interior design flexibility that optimizes space utilization without increasing cost demands are suggested. (GR)

Presents top awardees of the American School & University's Educational Interiors Showcase competition. Each entry contains information about the architectural firm, square footage and construction costs, brief description of the school design, and photos. (GR)

Presents descriptions of the 2001 award-winning educational facilities whose interior designs are judged to be outstanding learning and gathering environments. Photos and project cost data for each facility are included. (GR)