More colleges are turning to famous designers for new buildings, banking on the publicity and prestige a star architect will bring. This has led some critics to focus on cost overruns and poor planning, questioning the priorities behind the big expensive projects. Describes this controversial building design at several campuses nationwide. (SM)

Explores the designs of three university residence halls that are intended to stimulate social and academic interaction, create a sense of community, and foster a feeling of belonging among students. Includes eleven photographs and a typical floor plan. (GR)

College and university administrators, especially the directors of admissions, who are on the frontline of the competition for prospective students, understand that college today is much more than an education: it is a lifestyle. They know that the size of the applicant pool and the eventual admissions yield frequently depend on one factor: the…

Purpose: The paper describes the purpose of and strategies for conducting post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) as a method for assessing school building performance. Set within the larger context of global efforts to develop and apply common indicators of school building quality, the authors describe research conducted within the newest generation of…

The brochure provides suggestions for adapting or building approaches and entrances to the home to provide full accessibility to persons with mobility limitations due to disability or age. Briefly described are modifications for ramps, landings at the top and bottom of a ramp, and door openers and locks. This publication lists 13 sources for…

The Firemen's Training Center, New York City, consists of an administrative and teaching building built of corrugated metal and glass, with brightly colored interior spaces, and the actual training buildings, mock-ups of real buildings designed to "burn down" again and again in training sessions. (Author/MLF)

An interior with trees, plants, and a "street" generates excitement at the Children's Learning Center in Brooklyn, New York. (MLF)

The visibility and central location of the Robert Crown Center at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, bring the students in contact with the physical recreation and sports program. (Author/MLF)

A citation from the 23rd P/A Awards Program for the design of a college art facility. (Author/MLF)

A library at Sycamore High School in Ohio, by its location in the center of the academic wing, encourages students to drop in on an informal basis. (Author/MLF)

Civic determination, at many levels, restored the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska, to its 1925 splendor. (Author/MLF)

A multi-level interior and an exposed roof structure reduce the scale and impact of the building. (Author/MLF)

The basic principle behind the Olmsted Theater at Adelphi University derives from the emphasis placed upon the spatial relationships between performers and spectators. (Author)

Three-dimensional illustrations of an entire building -- or any portion of it -- can be produced instantly on a TV-like screen by a sophisticated computer at Syracuse University. (Author/MLF)