CEFPI Announces 2015 James D. MacConnell Award Finalists

Washington, D.C. CEFPI is pleased to announce the selection of the 2015 MacConnell Award finalists.  The MacConnell Award recognizes a comprehensive planning process that results in educational facilities that enhance the educational program, meet multiple goals and hold purpose and distinction within a community.

Renee Alexander, AIA, BBT Architects and jury chair commented, “All of this year’s entries were exceptional, making it an extremely difficult task for the jury. These projects reflected the innovative school planning and design work that is moving beyond the traditional world of schools as we know them and inspiring transformation in education for tomorrow’s learners and leaders.”

Congratulations to the 2015 MacConnell Award finalists:

Alexandria Area High School 
Alexandria School District 206
Alexandria, Minnesota 
Cunningham Group Architecture, Inc.

Ernest S. McBride High School
Long Beach Unified School District
Long Beach, California 
LPA, Inc.

Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School
Greenville County Schools
Greenville, South Carolina
McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture in Association with Co-Design Architect Fielding Nair International

Raisbeck Aviation High School
Highline School District
Tukwila, Washington
Bassetti Architects 

The MacConnell award finalist projects will be showcased at the CEFPI LearningSCAPES Conference in San Diego, CA, October 22- 26, 2015, with the winning project recognized at the Awards Breakfast.

The Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) is the only professional organization whose principal purpose is improving the places where children learn.  CEFPI embraces a collaborative network of professionals with one single goal – building healthy, safe, resilient and sustainable 21st Century learning places, that enhance student and teacher performance and support culture and community vitality.  To learn more, visit www.cefpi.org.

Featured

  • Michigan District Breaks Ground on Sheridan Road School

    The Lansing School District in Lansing, Mich., recently broke ground on the new Sheridan Road School, according to a district news release. The school will measure 61,525 square feet and serve students in grades 5–8.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • DLR Group Announces New Mid-Atlantic Higher Education Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has promoted Principal Shawn Gaither, AIA, LEED AP, to the role of higher education leader in the Mid-Atlantic, according to a news release. Gaither has served with the firm for more than 20 years, most recently as the national higher education business development leader.