Describes development of a kindergarten that would be non-threatening, challenging, comforting, and provide a homelike environment for 430 children. Creation of a building design that conveyed a sense of community for the children while providing enough room for work and play is described. (GR)

Discusses how early learning facilities can help children develop stronger learning potential when their environments nurture curiosity and enhance learning opportunities. The need for early learning centers is addressed and facility design considerations are explored. (GR)

Examines four different middle school floor plans that support teaming and integrated curriculum. Floor plans include the finger shape, the pinwheel, the science cluster, and a multi-level plan. Examples of each floor plan are provided to illustrate their features and benefits. (GR)

Examines four elementary school floorplans designed for efficient and flexible delivery of educational programs while limiting operational problems. Plans examined are the cluster approach, the corridor approach, the urban block school, and the courtyard/campus concept. (GR)

Design flexibility allows a new auditorium at an Illinois high school to be three theaters in one. While the large auditorium supports 1,200 seats, two rotating platforms can divide the large space into a 240-seat small theater and a 240-seat recital hall, leaving a 720-seat auditorium in the center. (MLF)

Presents the 10 educational facility award winners of the Impact on Learning Award for 1999 and explains the ways they demonstrate how real-world problems can be solved with innovative design. The design challenge facing each facility and a critique of how it was met accompanies each entry. (GR)

Discusses design options that can help create a more secure education environment and help staff to supervise students and reduce outside interruptions that can disrupt the learning experience. Suggestions include eliminating stairwells, placing teacher planning rooms strategically along main corridors where they can keep an eye on students, and…

Discusses the advantages of placing school handwashing stations in the adjacent hallway in terms of space conservation, traffic management, cost savings, and facility maintenance. Also addressed are issues of privacy, meeting American with Disabilities Act requirements, and reducing vandalism. (GR)

The Center for Energy and Environmental Education at the University of Northern Iowa is designed to use approximately 50% as much energy as a typical new campus classroom building. An everyday working facility provides a model of energy efficiency in a building that is also going to be used to teach about energy efficiency and environmental…

Describes The Walt Disney Company's K-12 school of the future design that was developed from combining the hands-on knowledge of a school district and the curriculum expertise of a teaching university. Several illustrations and a basic floor plan are provided. (GR)

Presents the lessons learned when facility use and abuse, and proper planning are not adequately done in, the school design and construction process. Eleven steps for building durability into schools to decrease the effects of prolonged use and stretch a school's life expectancy are outlined. (GR)

Examines changes in the traditional school dining hall and the prevailing trends in food-service design. Explores dining-hall space flexibility and multi-functionality and the need to cater to student preferences for brand names and choice. (GR)

Describes one Texas high school's efforts to obtain funding for a new music facility and the planning process behind its design. Acoustics and storage space considerations are discussed. (GR)

Discusses school-design concepts that can help create safer schools that provide a supportive environment where teachers can know their students better and where continuity of learning is fostered. Emphasis is away from building large-scale schools to more compact learning environments. (GR)

Describes the special advantages and unique problems of building a school in Hawaii as revealed in the design of Kauai's Kapaa Middle School. Using the environment to help reduce construction costs is described as are the economic tradeoffs to adapt buildings for earthquakes and hurricanes. (GR)