Seattle Public Schools recently underwent a revolutionary change in their educational specifying process. Led by facilities Executive Director John Vacchiery and Director Nan Stavnshoj, the district now requires that all new or remodeled middle and high school projects funded by the district follow a student centered dynamic, rather than a…

Early childhood centers have become a common and necessary part of millions of Americans' lives. More women in the workforce, longer workweeks, and educational research supporting the importance of early education have all contributed to the rise of early childhood centers throughout the United States. Today, more than 30 percent of children under…

Public education is one of the central tasks of a democratic society, and the buildings that house this important task not only shape the way one teaches, but provide icons and symbols for the values people hold common as a society. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this context has placed school buildings squarely in a position of debate and innovation…

In recent years, more education administrators and designers have embraced the potential benefits of daylighting. They have been persuaded that using natural light to illuminate facilities enables schools and universities to conserve energy and provide a learning environment in which students perform better. For daylighting advocates, the…

On a limited site, Grand Rapids transforms a 750-student junior high into a 3000-student senior high school. (Author)

Innovative teaching methods and organisational change make new demands on our future learning environments. The Brink and the Laak Clusters are two related examples of a new type of building for a community in the Netherlands. The Firebird School ("Vuurvogel"), a primary school for students from ages 4 to 12, is currently housed in the…

The Wisconsin Audiovisual Association recognized that some information regarding building requirements for media needed to be available to educators and architects involved in building planning. The association appointed a committee to prepare a simple brochure relating to media considerations for school facilities. (Author)

In this article, the author talks about legibility as an essential component of education facility design. Legibility is concerned not only with stylistic consistency, but also with other design factors that help make a building understandable. Reconfigured interiors and multiple additions can create confusing paths. Illogical assortments of…

Author discusses the importance of proper acoustics to a learning environment. In addition, he gives pointers on various accoustical treatments. Basic to his suggestions is his belief that not only the construction of an area, but also its ultimate purpose must be considered in the planning. (Author)

Describes attributes of educational facilities that (1) influence occupants' performance (physical factors, task-related factors, user-friendliness, organizational qualities); (2) convey subtle messages (design statements, accessibility, spatial factors, aesthetics); and (3) influence programs and their delivery (technology, learning-style…

This self-instructional module includes learner objectives, text, practice exercises and answer sheets addressing developments in research on learning environments and why instructional technologists should take the lead in applying the resulting knowledge to the design of training areas. Favorable learning environments are described in general…

This planning study was conducted in two major phases. Phase 1 included the investigation and analysis of the educational program and existing physical plant, a statement of policy and goals, determination of needs, and the delineation of conceptual ideas on future growth patterns and campus development. A summary of Phase 1 is included in this…

Part of a seven-volume series on children's environments, this monograph is a design guide for policy, planning, programming, design, and evaluation of early childhood facilities. The design guide includes 115 patterns for large, medium, and small child care centers in neighborhood and work-place settings. Many of the patterns are appropriate also…

This is an update of the 1973 edition of a guide for energy conservation in schools. This Educational Facilities Laboratories publication is an information source for teachers, school administrators, school maintenance personnel, school designers, or anyone interested in conserving energy in schools. Topics discussed include: (1) life-cycle…