Des Moines is an urban community located in the heart of Iowa. Des Moines Public Schools serves 32,000 students in a system with 62 buildings, including Central Campus--a Regional Academy. Central Campus is housed in four buildings, including the main campus at 1800 Grand located on the western edge of downtown Des Moines. As a regional academy,…

This report presents national survey results of public school teachers' opinions on the relationship between interior design and academic performance. The 1,050 teachers surveyed reveal that they recognize the relationship between interior design and academic achievement and that most teachers see the advantages of classroom carpeting relative to…

Presents survey results on how furniture and interior design can affect a school district staff's productivity. Productivity experts highlight five key factors for creating and maintaining productive and efficient offices. (GR)

Fifth in a series on planning and designing media facilities discusses how to select furniture and furnishings. (Author/MLF)

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)

Provides tips on easy ways to design school restrooms with minimal cost; these design elements will pay for themselves and make a big difference in restroom cleanliness. Also included are ideas for making custodial closets more efficient and cost effective. (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)

Design ideas from a school for the multiply handicapped in Nashville. (Author)

A pictorial review presents educational facility designs from around the world as examples of contemporary and inspirational trends in school architecture. Photos showcase exterior and interior design features from primary and secondary, and adult educational facilities. Biographies of some of the architectural firms involved are provided. (GR)

Asserts that successful classroom upgrades involve an examination of five areas: program fit within an existing building, technology utilization, regulatory compliance, building systems, and aesthetics. A successful renovation project also requires an extensive planning process that includes input from teachers, school administrators, and parents.…

Presents the 1998 winners of Impact on Learning Awards, recognition given to K-12 public schools that have solved real-world problems with design, engineering, and technology solutions. Categories represented include auditoriums, cafeterias, classrooms, commons areas, early-childhood learning centers, libraries, lobbies, and science and computer…

Many modern educational facilities reflect tremendous architectural and engineering advancement. However, the most important element, the individual learning space, has been grossly neglected. (Author/MLF)

Success of a new educational facility is based on consistent vision and focus between the owner and the architect/interior designer. (MLF)

Investigates conditions relating to the maximum useful-to-detrimental sound ratios present in classrooms and determining the optimum conditions for speech intelligibility. Reveals that speech intelligibility is more strongly influenced by ambient noise levels and that the optimal location for sound absorbing material is on a classroom's upper…