Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

CREATING WARM AND EXCITING ENVIRONMENTS

  • By Thomas G. Dolan
  • 06/01/03

Schools are institutions, and, like other institutions such as post offices and court houses, they were designed to look pretty much the same. Not any more. "One of the biggest challenges schools face today is competing for a child's attention," says Sandy Kate, principal/director of interiors for Fanning/Howey & Associates in Celina, Ohio. "There are so many stimulating environments — malls, video arcades, fast food restaurants — that children often don't want to engage themselves at school. They would rather be somewhere else."

The personnel at Fanning/ Howey have spent a lot of time talking with kids asking them just how they felt about their school environments. "So often we've heard the comments that the place is so 'boring,' 'unfriendly' and 'makes us feel uncomfortable.' What we try to do is create a warm and exciting environment that kids will want to come to."

The design was made to resemble the Village of Fort Recovery's historic downtown, with the corridor tiled like an old brick street, lined with old-fashioned lamposts and history building façades, such as a courthouse, with the a lighted marquee and ticket booth at the entrance to the auditorium with the face of the now defunct Royal Theater.

Surveys of the kids revealed that some of their main concerns were natural lighting, air conditioning and enough space so they didn't feel crowded. These factors were incorporated into the design, the corridor being very wide — 18 ft. across and 330 ft. long. Small tables and chairs on the sides of the "street" provide places for the children to socialize, study or be tutored.

The design serves as an ongoing history of the town and also involves the community in a number of ways. For instance, it has served as the venue for the Veterans Day parade. The children studied military history to prepare for the event, wrote letters to veterans and paraded down the brick streets dressed in uniforms from past wars and carried flags. The "street" was wide enough to accommodate many members of the community who attended the event.

Featured

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.