Campus maps and architectural images from institutional websites were used to compare 45 collegiate institutions cited in prior literature as manifesting traits of either conventional or nonconformist student cultures. Based on person--environment interaction theory, it was anticipated that the physical traits of campuses associated with…

The redesign of learning spaces has been a growing trend in education, especially higher education. The redesign of such spaces takes time and involves a variety of stakeholders, sometimes resulting in ill-defined designs. This can be exacerbated when individuals leading such efforts depart and there is not a consensus on the design, sometimes…

After a 35-year building hiatus, the nine colleges in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) needed a major facelift. Facilities on LACCD campuses were antiquated and had fallen into disrepair. For years, students voiced dismay, saying their campuses resembled high schools rather than colleges. Inadequate infrastructure drove many…

A lot of misunderstandings exist regarding sustainable, or green, construction. It is important that educators understand the benefits so they can communicate them to stakeholders. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a $4 investment (per square foot) in building green nets a $58 benefit (per square foot) over 20 years. Savings…

"American Places" calls for campuses to be designed with attention to traditional virtues of campus coherence, human scale, and place distinction, not only to heighten the quality of the learning experience, but also as working demonstrations of ways in which places everywhere can be transformed into more healthy, humane, civic…

The third annual conference of the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) was held at Trinity College Dublin on 11-12 November 2009, and was attended by over 300 delegates. The theme--"Research-Teaching Linkages: Practice and Policy"--was timely and generated some fascinating papers, workshops and…

The design of a state-of-the-art on-campus counselor education clinic is described. The floor plan of the University of North Texas' 5,000-square-foot counseling and human development center is illustrated. Recommendations are offered to other counselor educators undertaking the design of similar clinics. (KW)

Discusses how modern schools require specific lighting systems to accommodate computers and other technologies. Describes special needs for direct and indirect lighting when considering visual display terminals and projectors, and the kind of lighting system best suited for distance learning. Offers ideas on classrooms' physical layout. (RJM)

In this article, the author talks about legibility as an essential component of education facility design. Legibility is concerned not only with stylistic consistency, but also with other design factors that help make a building understandable. Reconfigured interiors and multiple additions can create confusing paths. Illogical assortments of…

An Ohio State University project studying quality educational environments brought together experts from several fields from various countries to discuss issues and tour facilities in Europe and the United States. In addition, a survey of university staff, students, and faculty found that there is a strong relationship between school environment…

Improving the quality of educational buildings is one of the objectives of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Programme on Educational Building (PEB). The PEB does this by disseminating information about ways to produce quality educational buildings at a reasonable cost. This report contains descriptions of buildings…

This document, in a looseleaf format that allows for the easy addition of annual updates, is a compilation of information to be used in the planning of educational buildings from the conception of needs through occupancy and use. Each unit contains numerous photographs, drawings, and figures that illustrate the contents. Unit subjects are as…