Reviews "Native American Architecture," by Nabokov and Easton, an encyclopedic work that examines technology, climate, social structure, economics, religion, and history in relation to house design and the "meaning" of space among tribes of nine regions. Describes this book's use in a college course on Native American architecture. (SV)

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a situation in which at lease 15-20 percent of a building's occupants exhibit physical symptoms in a pattern that is linked to the building in which they work. Describes health effect, factors and causes of SBS, implications for risk management, and precautions school officials should take. (MLF)

This article describes the founding and development of the Sycamore School for Academically Gifted Children in Indianapolis. Covered are the school's origin in a parent group, establishing the school philosophy, hiring a staff, and finding a facility. The school's evolution in the areas of curriculum, facility expansion, budgeting, and staffing…

Reflecting new visions of learning, educators and architects are creating "three-dimensional textbooks" that use the learning environment as a teaching tool. In a planning process called architectural programing, the community and those who will occupy the building are consulted concerning developmental needs, aesthetic preferences, and…

Describes how renovation can transform a school to a state-of-the-art facility without having to work from the ground up. Examined are the planning and design phases, the outer structure upgrading, the installation of more efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, and renovation costs. (GR)

At the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center in Providence, Rhode Island, a committee of educators and community members developed a new program and house plan that reinforces building relationships, doing group and individual projects, having individual space, and connecting to the world. Learning Through Internships activities are…

School systems in urbanized or built-up areas have difficulties locating suitable sites for new buildings. Examples of the use of space in alternative locations include the Parkway Program in Philadelphia; the Work Place School in Alberta, Canada; the Metropolitan Learning Alliance in Minnesota; and the Schoolhouse Boat in Vienna, Austria. (MLF)

Describes the use of a simple inexpensive model of a five-legged table in a physics course for industrial-design students to spark useful discussion about several aspects of statics. (WRM)

Full-service community schools combine three concepts--mind, body, and building--into an integrated approach placing quality education and comprehensive support services at one site. The DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund is helping schools and communities replicate 4 such programs at 60 sites in 20 U.S. cities. (MLH)

Describes how integrated electronic control systems can provide multibuilding districts with cost savings and improved efficiency. Explores how such systems can quickly locate problem areas and save money. Describes how cooling, heating, lighting, and other components can be preprogrammed and offers some suggestions for selecting a system. (RJM)

Discusses the financial and operational difficulties inherent in community college facilities management. It explains why the primary source of plant operation cost and waste starts with satisfying the scheduling and changing educational needs of its students. Problems in planning and executing major maintenance activities are also addressed. (GR)

In the early 1920s, the small Appalachian community of Damascus, Virginia, used private subscriptions and volunteer labor to build a 15-classroom school made of rocks from a nearby river and chestnut wood from nearby forests. The school building's history, uses for various community activities, and current condition are described. (SV)

Discusses the benefits of green, or high-performance, buildings, such as health and comfort, cost effectiveness, and sustainability. Explores the barriers to their use by schools--most notably cost. Offers suggestions on overcoming these barriers. (EV)

Discusses the importance of thorough research when considering construction of a campus performing arts center, including retaining an acoustical consultant or acoustician to recommend a similar center and guide a tour. Offers the example of the Southwest Iowa Arts Center located on the campus of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs.…

Presents articles describing recent developments in three Latin American countries (Chile, Brazil, and Venezuela) to expand public education facilities, along with a report on UNESCO's recent seminar in Latin America on architecture for an inclusive education. (EV)