Add as a preferred source on Google

Architecture Firm Studies K-12 School Security, Publishes Report

  • 06/25/18

Greenville, S.C. –  For years, American citizens with a deep and abiding concern for the future of education in our country have been on high alert in the wake of constant threats to school safety. Out of this sense of concern, the K-12 Studio of community-based architecture firm McMillan Pazdan Smith has published a white paper detailing the role of Environmental Design in creating safer campuses.

The paper began as an examination of how comprehensive, integrated, and systematic solutions can address the multi-faceted set of problems that continue to lead to violent attacks on innocent people. Focusing on the promise of environmental design, the team applied conceptual layers of security systems and overarching strategic measures to arrive at conclusions. Ultimately, the paper’s purpose is to identify a clear path forward for architects and school districts to work together in achieving a greater culture of safety on campus.

“As community-based architects, this problem demands our attention,” says the paper’s author, Susan Baker, AIA, Senior Project Architect. “We see very clearly our obligation to face this question squarely and thoughtfully while proposing an integrated approach to its solution. This is not an issue we can put off to another generation of architects, but rather a statement of what we value today as a society, and how we will protect the most vulnerable among us — our children.”

To download a copy of the whitepaper, visit the firm’s website: www.mcmillanpazdansmith.com/about/expertise/k12-campus-security.

About McMillan Pazdan Smith

McMillan Pazdan Smith was recognized nationally as #6 on the Zweig Group’s 2018 “Hot Firms” list and #12 in the Architecture category of Zweig Group’s 2018 “Best Firms to Work For” list. In 2016, the firm won The McConnell Award, the Association for Learning Environment’s highest international award, for their educational planning and design work on one of South Carolina’s leading-edge STEAM middle schools.

Featured

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • Image credit: O

    Strategic Campus Assessment: Moving Beyond Reactive Maintenance in Educational Facilities

    While campuses may appear stable on the surface, building systems naturally evolve over time, and proactive assessment can identify developing issues before they become expensive emergencies. The question isn't whether aging educational facilities need attention. It's how institutions can transition from costly reactive maintenance to strategic asset management in a way that protects both budgets and communities.

  • California K–12 District Opens New Athletic Complex, Gym

    The San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) in San Mateo, Calif., recently announced the completion of two new athletics facilities: a new gymnasium at Burlingame High School, and a new athletic training complex at San Mateo High School, according to a news release.

Digital Edition