When the subject of buildings and daylighting arises, most people's thoughts will turn first to windows. To the uninitiated, it seems a simple formula: more windows, more daylight; fewer windows, less daylight. But designers know that effective use of daylighting in a building design involves more than just letting in light to otherwise darkened…

Describes how the Durant Road Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina sets a new standard in environmental school design. "Daylighting," bringing daylight into the building for psychological, health, and energy-saving benefits, plays a central role in the design. (EV)

Public education is one of the central tasks of a democratic society, and the buildings that house this important task not only shape the way one teaches, but provide icons and symbols for the values people hold common as a society. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this context has placed school buildings squarely in a position of debate and innovation…

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)

In recent years, more education administrators and designers have embraced the potential benefits of daylighting. They have been persuaded that using natural light to illuminate facilities enables schools and universities to conserve energy and provide a learning environment in which students perform better. For daylighting advocates, the…

Offers tips on energy efficiency and building design that can help schools reduce operating costs, improve academic performance, address health and safety issues, and protect the environment. (EV)

THERE ARE MANY BARRIERS TO MORE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE SUCH AS (1) ARCHITECTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL PREJUDICE, (2) OBSOLETE CODES, (3) BUILDING COMPLEXITY, AND (4) STATIC THINKING. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY DEVELOPMENTS IN (1) GROUP PLANNING, (2) LEARNING WALLS AND SPACE DIVIDERS, (3) STUDENT CENTERS, (4) LANDSCAPING, AND (5) HUMANISTIC…

THIS REPORT EXPLICATES THE PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE CHILD TO HIS CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT IN TERMS OF LIGHT CONTROL. THE STUDY SHOWS HOW SHADOWS, GLARE, INADEQUATE LIGHT DISTRIBUTION, DESKS AND DESK POSITIONS AFFECT THE CHILD'S PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. A COMPARATIVE STUDY WAS MADE BETWEEN A CONTROL SCHOOL AND AN EXPERIMENTAL…

Describes the new Ford Building at Detroit's College for Creative Studies. The building's design is intended to "inspire future artisans" with its open setting incorporating flexible space and natural light. Includes photographs and information on suppliers. (EV)

This review explores which facility attributes affect academic outcomes the most and in what manner and degree. The research is examined in six categories: indoor air quality, ventilation, and thermal comfort; lighting; acoustics; building age and quality; school size; and class size. The review concludes that school facilities affect learning.…

This document is a description of the energy efficient designs for new schools in the Alief Independent School District of Houston, Texas. Exhibit A shows how four major school projects differ from conventional designs. Parameters and designs for heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and lighting are given. Twenty year projected energy costs and…

This book offers and examines a number of suggestions for school architecture. The book consists of a review of 22 school projects from around the United States. The text opens with a brief history of school design in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but the focus throughout the book focuses on several distinct elements: designing schools…

Six innovative school designs illustrate the shape of things to come. (Author/MLF)

THIS BOOKLET IS INTENDED AS A GUIDE FOR THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FACILITIES. DISCUSSION OF TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION, PLANNING PROCEDURES, AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE INCLUDED AND INFORMATION IS GIVEN ON--(1) SIZES, SHAPES, AND NUMBER OF SHOPS, (2) BUILDING FLEXIBILITY, (3) LAYOUT OF FLOOR SPACE, (4) SERVICES IN…

An award-winning Alaskan elementary school is designed to blend into the landscape; capture as much winter daylight as possible; and generally accommodate safety, flexibility, practicality, and whimsy. In a sidebar, the architect explains the importance of architect/educator collaboration in designing a building that supports an educational…