Well-designed university buildings and physical environments have a documented positive impact on student participation, engagement, and feelings of support and belonging. These factors are known to improve learning; however, it is hard to document the direct impact architecture has on student learning outcomes. Information on how specific design…

A national volunteer program for producing a children's theater in elementary schools is severaly limited by the inadequacy of theater facilities in local school systems. A general discussion of the theater program is presented, the current state of theater facilities in elementary schools, difficulties in play production, and possible causes for…

AS&U interviews architect Edward Larrabee Barnes, who discusses two basic mistakes made by high schools and colleges in planning performing arts facilities. He explains that (1) they try to build flexibility into formal theaters and (2) they emphasize loads of seating, but leave little space for experimental work. (Author)

Discusses the importance of thorough research when considering construction of a campus performing arts center, including retaining an acoustical consultant or acoustician to recommend a similar center and guide a tour. Offers the example of the Southwest Iowa Arts Center located on the campus of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs.…

Discusses the design of student activity facilities that are showpieces containing both business and entertainment elements. Four examples are highlighted including a performing arts center, a college gym, a student services facility, and a student union. (GR)

Development of a design for a new elementary school facility is traced through evaluation of various innovative facilities. Significant features include--(1) the spiral plan form, (2) centralized core levels including teacher work center, "perception" core, and interior stream aquariam, (3) the learning laboratory classroom suites, (4) a unique…

Describes the design of two magnet schools in Connecticut: the Metropolitan Learning Center in Bloomfield, and the Performing Arts Magnet School in Waterbury. The former emphasizes global and international studies, while the latter incorporates a renovated vaudevillian theater. (EV)

Describes the design of the academic arts building at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, including its black box theater, art classroom, computer graphics lab, gallery, video production area, and chorus classroom. (EV)

Describes the design of the Arts Center of Iowa Western Community College and the renovation of the Athena Theater at Ohio University. Includes photographs. (EV)

Describes the design features of five schools and a performing arts center that received recognition from the TASB/TASA School Architecture Awards. Each entry contains photos, project information, and floor plans. (GR)

With the recent completion of its third and largest theater, the George E. Potter Center at Jackson (Michigan) Community College provides both the college and the community with an elaborate campus performing arts center. (Author/MLF)

Presents educational exhibition space/galleries considered outstanding in a competition, which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent two days reviewing projects, highlighting concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. For each citation, the article offers information on the firm,…

A rolling gate fashioned in the form of a giant motorcycle is the most unique feature of a prize winning media center in one Minnesota school; and, in another, is a theater hailed as the most technically sophisticated in the Twin Cities area. (Author/MLF)

Describes the design of the Isabel Bader Theatre at Victoria University of the University of Toronto, including the educational context and design goals. Includes building plans and photographs. (EV)

Photographs and a brief discussion of how the Morris R. Williams Center for the Arts fulfills design requirements comprise this description of a building competed in 1983. (MJL)