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

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

  • 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.

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • Fayetteville State University Opens New Residence Hall

    Fayetteville State University (FSU) in Fayetteville, N.C., recently completed construction on a new $50-million residence hall, according to a news release. The university partnered with KWK/Jenkins • Peer Architects on the design of Bronco Pride Hall.

Digital Edition