Provides advice for academic leaders in the early stages of considering making a major investment in facilities that support learning, teaching, and research in mathematics, technology, and the various fields of science and engineering. Addresses the institutional plan; building, program, and campus and environs analysis; description of needs;…

Asserts that a well-conceived master plan is an essential tool for shaping a school's physical evolution and advancement in concert with its strategic aspirations, focusing on the master plan for the Spence School, an independent K-12 girls' school in New York City, and noting that the Spence School's master plan is applicable to other schools,…

Describes the award-winning designs of several K-8 schools, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the designers and construction costs. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. (EV)

Describes the award-winning designs of several middle schools, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the designers and construction costs. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. (EV)

Discusses why it is not wise to address the need for short-term space with the least expensive portable classrooms available. Explains that the problem is not that minimum specification trailers deteriorate rapidly with poor maintenance, but that perceived short-term requirements often turn out to be long-term. Asserts that portable classrooms…

Describes the guides to school site selection developed in Maine, British Columbia, Alaska, and California, along with information on obtaining the publication. The state and province guides address site selection issues such as historic preservation, decision- making procedures, and site evaluation criteria. (EV)

Describes a Colorado school district's efforts to design and construct a compact, efficient, space-saving elementary school adapted to a wooded, aesthetically pleasing site. The project's complete cost, including interior furnishings and equipment, came to $52.60 per gross square foot, or $4,189 per student. The community is inordinately proud of…

The 1979 passive solar design for Meadow Park Elementary School (Irvine, California) was not used until 1986. Architects had incorporated workable energy-saving features that would give a sizable return on the investment. They maximized use of natural light and used solar features (clerestory windows and interior courtyards) to reduce heat…

Introduces some basic concepts related to the transmission of data from a computer to its peripherals to help distance educators make decisions regarding computer equipment purchases for their institutions. The following data transmission concepts are described: cables, serial and parallel, synchronous and asynchronous, bandwidth, and analog and…

Deliberately designing alternative uses for new educational facilities has been utilized in a number of different projects in South Australia. One example is a high school designed to be converted to residential units, commercial office accommodation, and joint school and community use. (MLF)

Situating the University of Thessaly in Volos and Larissa, Greece, represents the idea that the university has a role to play in the community, and, therefore, its facilities are integrated within the city. Describes an old factory warehouse converted to create "a building within a building," while preserving style of the former factory…

Quality control in designing and building school buildings depends on customer feedback. Outlines and graphically demonstrates the interrelationships among the input sources; the information acquired; and the three phases of predesign, construction, and completion. (MLF)

Architects and Buildings Branch (A&B) of Department of Education in London, England, is specifically responsible for design and management of educational facilities. Current development project provides example of emphasis, aims, methods of work, and outcome of a typical project. Fact file on British public schools and list of type of reports…

Provides tips for determining which school design is best for meeting the unique needs of a particular school district. Building toward educational goals and weighing the use of a prototype design versus a site-specific design are examined. (GR)

Discusses the influence of residence halls in supporting a college's admissions and recruiting process for attracting highly qualified students. It explores the trends in student housing needs and how a school can meet those needs, and examines possible funding solutions for dormitory renovations. Recommendations for developing housing strategies…