The Professional Master's in Work Management for the Quality of the Built Environment, MPGTQAC has existed at the Universidade Santa Úrsula, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, since the beginning of 2015. The body is one of the substantive elements of the course. It emerges as an elective discipline. The purpose of this communication is to refine the…

Support for the modular system of building construction, touted in the second half of the 20th century as the best basis for academic library building design, appears to be waning. A study of "green" libraries in 2008 revealed that not only has energy conservation become important, but that spaces designed for users rather than books…

When one thinks of 21st century schools, one thinks of geometric modern architecture, sustainable building materials, and high-tech modular classrooms. It's rare, though, that a district has the space or the money to build that school from the ground up. Instead, the challenge for most is the transformation of the 20th century architecture to…

Based on the IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) Library Buildings and Equipment Section's Library Building Guidelines published in 2007, this short publication summarises the key points to take into consideration when designing a new or refurbished library building. The aim of the brochure is not to replace…

By providing a $20,000 tax credit for Universal Design (UD) housing, when new housing construction begins anew, the United States has a real opportunity to save hundreds of billions of dollars in long-term healthcare while encouraging long-term economic growth. Universal Design (also known as Inclusive Design or "Aging in Place" when referring to…

This article looks at the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and its stated intention to "transform learning" from the perspective of the author's involvement as an architect/facilitator. Reflecting on his experiences, he focuses on the possibilities of the programme as a learning and change process, rather than as simply a…

Scotland's Building Excellence programme is exploring the implications of curriculum reform for school building design. It includes events which bring together teachers, designers, school managers and local authorities.

The connections between the design and use of space in higher education, and the production of teaching and learning, and of research, are not well understood. This paper reports on a literature review on these topics, and shows that higher education spaces can be considered in various ways: in terms of campus design, in terms of how space can…

Describes how the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church has designed new conference lodges and improved existing facilities to increase flexible space at its camps and conference centers. Outlines the flexible use of bedrooms/dormitories and activity rooms. Includes floor plans. (SV)

The fourth in a series of articles on library buildings completed in the 1980s describes and evaluates new and remodeled buildings in Australia and New Zealand. The types of library buildings evaluated include state, public, academic, parliamentary, national, and special libraries. (30 notes/references) (Author/CLB)

Describes the unusual design and construction of Magdalena Municipal School (K-12) in rural New Mexico. Designed to complement the physical setting and suit diverse age groups, the school features a unifying stepped facade motif, rough-textured surfaces, high desert colors, and trees used as a windbreak. (MLH)

The organization of space profoundly affects learning. Students feel better connected to a building that anticipates their needs and respects them as individuals. Built in 1971, Crow Island School, in Winnetka, Illinois, is a prize-winning facility that has provided generations of children with windowed classrooms, skylights, adjacent workrooms,…

Discusses library buildings and their role in building community. Reviews current design trends, including reading and study spaces; collaborative workspaces; technology-free zones; archives and special collections; cultural events spaces; age-specific spaces; shared spaces; natural light and landscapes; and interior design trends. (LRW)

Discussion of underground buildings constructed primarily during last two decades for various reasons (energy conservation, density of environment, preservation of landscape and historic buildings) notes advantages, disadvantages, and psychological and design considerations. Examples of underground libraries, built mainly in United States, are…