Provides examples of ways to entice more students to live on campus through better residence hall design. Amenities that include landscaping, private baths, lounge areas, and fitness facilities are suggested as are designing apartments that have a more homelike quality to them and providing affordable and attractive off-campus housing. (GR)

Discusses how to design athletic and recreation buildings that satisfy diverse student needs and enhances the facility's repeated use. Five building designs and basic floorplans are examined. (GR)

Discusses how one high school transformed its restrooms into cleaner and more vandal-resistant environments by automating them. Solutions discussed include installing perforated stainless steel panel ceilings, using epoxy-based paint for walls, selecting china commode fixtures instead of stainless steel, installing electronic faucets and sensors,…

Presents three college residence-hall projects that reveal the diversity in planning and design ideas available for successfully meeting student needs. Discusses use of unique interior designs and locations, multi-service features, and the use of prefabricated materials to cut building costs are discussed. (GR)

Examines ways of giving an existing weight-training room new life without spending a lot of time and money. Tips include adding rubber floor coverings; using indirect lighting; adding windows, art work, or mirrors to open up the room; using more aesthetically pleasing ceiling tiles; upgrading ventilation; repadding or painting the equipment; and…

Explains why the architectural design of school facilities is the first step in the process of making safer schools. School areas examined include the front entrance design; the design of corridors, stairwells, and restrooms; and building placement. Other safety considerations discussed include lighting and other visibility enhancements, and the…

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)

Discusses how some universities are proactively looking to improve, enhance, and increase student housing on-campus through new and renovated residence halls that meet and exceed the expectations of today's students. Renovation improvements related to maximizing security, enhancing a homelike environment; developing a sense of community, and…

Examines the controversial architectural technique of combining contemporary features with traditional designs at Yale University's Berkeley College, and discusses whether there is a place for this type of juxtaposition in architectural design. Photos and diagrams are included. (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)

In this article, the author explores and weighs all the options in choosing furniture for student housing. The first step in acquiring or upgrading residence hall furniture is to research. The Internet and colleagues on campus or at other institutions are options for gathering information. After researching product choices, administrators need to…

This paper, a summary of a document created for a Master of Arts degree in Interior Design at Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois, discusses research on "wayfinding" and the need for designers and planners to recognize its importance in order to provide more user-friendly environments. Orientation is the first step in…

Identifying psychological and sociological design considerations is a difficult matter. So much is hidden behind our normal, but biased, level of perception. The importance of psycho-social considerations can be drawn from an examination of the quantity and types of buildings produced today for human occupancy--office buildings, libraries,…