Interior design education aims to provide students with real learning experiences. The authors, hence, combined problem-based learning (PBL) and design thinking to design a seven-week studio project in the Interior design program at a land-grant Midwest university. Thirty-two sophomores were engaged in different stages of the design process for…

One of the requirements for interior design students by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation is to be "prepared to work in a variety of contexts as well as across geographic, political, social, environmental, cultural, and economic conditions." To help with this preparation, faculty partners from two institutions--the University…

The quality of education suffers when pedagogies are not aligned with physical learning spaces. For example, the architecture of the triple-decker Victorian schools across England fits the information transmission model that was dominant in the industrial age, but makes it more difficult to implement student-centred pedagogies that better fit a…

The authors focus on the strategies employed in the recent renovation of the William Johnston Building at Florida State University, in which the historical exterior was preserved, while the interiors were adapted to new functions as classrooms, study centers, and common spaces with intentionally undefined purposes. The building's various use…

Children's inventions go far beyond track housing or Ethan Allen furniture; they foreshadow the most innovative ideas in building forms and interior designs. Children improvise with containers and find places in a home that suggest enticing dwellings. A drawer left open becomes a balcony, soap trays become cots, and the space between twin beds…

Bringing a newborn home from the hospital can come with stress for any parent. Coming home with twins can be double the stress. This article shares the story of a couple faced with this situation 12 years ago with the birth of twins, one was born with complications. They lived in a Colonial until the twins were almost five years old, at which time…

The question of remodeling an existing house to make it wheelchair accessible or building a new barrier-free house is a difficult decision. This article presents some initial questions and considerations followed by a list of pros and cons for remodeling an existing house vs. building a new house.

This article describes how Beverly and Martin Ryfa, working with an architect who specializes in accessible design, were able to build a house that is handicap accessible for their 9-year-old daughter, Danielle, who suffered an intraventricular hemorrhage when she was three days old. The article describes the features of their house that make…

This article argues in favour of challenging "best practice" generally accepted by the architectural profession by embracing a responsive design approach for creating learning environments. Such an approach accepts that the environment shapes the learner, and that learners influence their environment. A responsive design approach would embrace the…

Laurie and Jeff Schutz can't imagine how they ever survived. It was not that long ago that the Schutz family of five was living in an 1,100 square foot, two bedroom house. Under normal circumstances, this would have been cramped for any family. The Schutzes, however, have a son with cerebral palsy. Laurie Schutz had about as normal a first-time…

Charles Carroll Jr. would be long forgotten but for a single notable accomplishment: he built an exceedingly handsome house. Begun in 1801 with money from his wealthy father-- Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Roman Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence-- the Federal-style home has near-perfect proportions and airy rooms. The…

Photo essay illustrates library interiors of 20 newly built or renovated libraries ranging from renovated Carnegies to multimillion dollar university pantheons. Facilities represent academic libraries, public libraries (including children's and young adult's sections), a history library, a medical library, and a corporate library. Names and…

This article describes the artistic carving, "Period Room from Damascus." The room dates to the early eighteenth century, reflecting the tastes of Syrians under Turkish Ottoman rule. The article highlights notable historical, cultural, and artistic elements about the room and provides questions to consider.

Discusses the benefits of teaching architecture to gifted students and describes a unit implemented in elementary gifted classrooms. Student activities included researching architects' styles, creating model-building exteriors out of mixed media, creating floor plans, designing interiors, and brainstorming with resource people from fields related…

Discusses studies showing that color and light have a significant influence on how students learn and retain information (for example, daylight is much more beneficial than fluorescent light). Describes how many architects and designers are now incorporating these findings into their work in schools. (EV)