Describes the design of the John E. Uxer Head Start Complex in El Paso, Texas, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. (EV)

Discusses challenges that arise in creating school entranceways that meld accessibility with attractiveness, noting the importance of considering both aesthetic impact and the design mandates of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Creative solutions include tying a walkway into a progressive stair; incorporating the ramp into a masonry…

Describes the award-winning title building, including its educational context and design goals. Includes building plans, photographs, and reviewer comments. (EV)

Presents an interview with Stephen McCarthy, co-partner and president of Equal Access ADA Consulting Architects of San Diego, California, about designing schools to naturally integrate compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). (EV)

Describes this school building, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team; a general building description; and a case study of construction costs and specifications. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. (EV)

Describes this school building, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team; a general building description; and a case study of construction costs and specifications. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. (EV)

Discusses sense of place, hierarchy of movement, and symbolic identity as three primary elements that influence the physical beauty of a campus and which should be addressed in campus planning. (EV)

Discusses how incorporating the environment into school design can enhance the learning process. Describes characteristics of this sustainable design style, the energy efficiency and educational benefits, and how to overcome resistance. Includes a sidebar on high-performance design at Roy Lee Walker Elementary School in McKinney, Texas. (EV)

Examines how to evaluate school security, begin making schools safe, secure schools without turning them into fortresses, and secure schools easily and affordably; the evolution of security systems into information technology systems; using schools' high-speed network lines; how one specific security system was developed; pros and cons of the…

Suggests that new cleaning and finishing materials and new equipment can help school facility departments cope with staff cuts, focusing on: chemicals and dispensers, safety training and information for custodial staff, cleaning tools and power equipment, and cleaner and more efficient schools. (SM)

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 main winners of a competition which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent 2 days reviewing projects, focusing on concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. The top K-12 honor went to Century High School, Sykesville, Maryland. The higher education honor went to Wright…

Presents K-12 and college multipurpose rooms considered outstanding in a competition, which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent two days reviewing projects, highlighting concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. For each citation, the article offers information on the firm,…

Discusses the reasons for and advantages to transforming college campuses from commuter to residential facilities or expanding existing facilities, suggesting that the design for new student residence facilities must provide for a wide variety of functions above and beyond the spaces required for sleeping and bathing. Incorporating study lounges,…

Discusses how to collaborate with administrators, physical plant representatives, department heads, lawmakers, and design professionals to create flexible school facilities that adapt to changing needs, noting the importance of utilizing a programming process that determines the true needs of a facility, based on the potential activities that will…