School districts across North America are facing a crushing dilemma: invest millions of dollars to maintain outdated, educationally ineffective buildings or seek funding for expensive renovations, additions, and new construction to meet the evolving needs of today's learners. Compounding the issue is deferred facility maintenance. Educational…

The opportunity to design a learning space does not come along often. Usually, it involves the construction of a new building or the complete remodel of an old one, and both of these require a lot of money. Smaller projects, such as renovation of a single room or a defined space, can be the best way to test ideas and establish a model for…

The design and implementation of technology can prove a particularly daunting challenge for campus planners and project designers. Specialization is required for the selection and implementation of technologies including the familiar network, telecommunications, and data-processing functions, and also the more esoteric emerging technology labs and…

This bulletin provides non-statutory guidance on the provision of teaching and non-teaching accommodation for nursery, primary, and secondary pupils, as well as school grounds. It is directed at the early stages of school projects when strategic decisions must be made about the buildings and site. It follows the steps that designers and school…

An innovative, compact design groups classrooms around the media center at the Remson Elementary School located 20 miles north of Utica, New York. (Author/MLF)

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…

The Anaheim Union High School District in California purchased a retail-selling market, with three acres under one roof, and converted it into a high school and district administrative headquarters. (Author/MF)

The failure of the "open classroom" concept of the 1960's has not diminished the need for researchers to continue to look at learning and teaching to better understand how educational spaces can be improved for everyone that uses them. This document summarizes presentations made at the 1997 American Institute of Architects (AIA)…

A school construction guide offers key personnel in school development projects information on the complex task of master planning and construction of schools in Australia. This chapter of the guide provides advice on issues involving school space design and the kinds of spaces required in schools, including lecture spaces and seminar rooms,…

A study of new design features for public schools was conducted to determine what specific design features were being implemented in Virginia's schools. This report summarizes the major trends in facility design that were discovered in the following areas: safety and security features; classroom space; technology areas; administrative spaces;…

As teacher educators, the authors visit numerous learning environments. Each school has its own unique characteristics and personality. Some schools seem to have a magnetic draw, filling the senses with energy, wonder and intrigue. This energy, writes the authors, stems from a symbiotic relationship, a flow of spaces that work together…

Argues middle schools must focus on students in its space, textures, color, furnishings and materials used to address academic and emotional needs. Describes Kettering Middle School's mission to accomplish this goal by providing small learning communities, mentoring, opportunities for parental involvement, innovative instructional approaches, and…

The guide describes procedures for designing secondary industrial arts facilities based on careful scrutiny of the educational program which the facilities are intended to serve. It offers a four step general outline for planning such facilities and discusses in detail the following considerations with respect to writing subject area…

Argues classrooms must provide an appropriately stimulating environment that supports learning and provides teachers and students with a comfortable place to learn. Lists requisite factors of the school environment including furniture, aesthetics, color, carpet, building maintenance, decorating detail, comfort, space/design, lighting, classroom…