Planning & Design


PBLWorks Opens Registration for Professional Development Conference

PBLWorks recently opened registration for PBL World 2023, a professional development conference focused on Project Based Learning, scheduled from June 26–29, 2023, in Napa Valley, Calif.

a full size pirate ship in the classroom

The Top 10 Things I Learned From Building a $51M PreK–12 Campus

Berkshire Local Schools Superintendent John Stoddard gives the inside scoop on what he learned and the advice he’d give on the heels of completing a new PreK–12 campus in Burton, Ohio.

classroom with children in uniforms and raising hands to answer questions

Behavior Management and Classroom Design Go Hand-In-Hand

The pandemic has hurt the social-emotional development of students; however, it has also given K–12 leaders a unique opportunity to reimagine what our learning spaces might look like by considering them through a lens of equity, inclusion, and student empowerment. In doing so, we can improve student behavior and motivation at the same time.

colorful rockwall feature at school with students climbing

Designing Equitable Experiences for Students with Special Needs

The lessons learned from designing spaces for special education schools provide valuable insights for every school looking to improve equity and inclusivity on campus.

Smith College, MNLA Partner for 20-Year Landscape Master Plan

Smith College in Northampton, Mass., recently partnered with landscape architecture firm MNLA to complete a 20-year landscape master plan for its 147-acre campus.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: Bringing Learning to the Great Outdoors

On this episode of Schools in Focus, our guest is Brad Pittam, president of the International Play Equipment Manufacturer’s Association, or IPEMA.

young girl holding cupping her hand around her ear to hear

In Modern Learning Environments, Instructional Audio Isn’t Optional

The secret is out: One of the best ways to boost student achievement is to ensure your students can clearly hear their teacher and classmates.

The Thacher School walk through area with study nook

Opening the Doors to Evidence-Based Design In Ojai, California

In 2021, the Thacher School, located in Ojai, Calif., opened the doors to its project-based learning hub. The space was designed to support a multidisciplinary learning environment with collaborative common areas and classrooms that provide greater flexibility in their use.

castle inside classroom area

Ohio District Builds $52 Million Campus through Partnerships with Local Community, University

Before being selected as the new superintendent, I was intrigued by their PRIME initiative, which stands for Partnership for Rural Innovative Models of Education. The more I learned, the more I wanted to be part of it. PRIME is the name that was given to an innovative PK–16 approach to education to consolidate our smaller rural schools into a larger PreK–12 school on the Kent State University – Geauga campus. The idea was to create more opportunities for our students while creating a more robust feeder system into the Kent State University system, the Auburn Career Center for technical skills, and University Hospitals for a new healthcare track for high-school students.

Spaces4Learning Launches Education Design Showcase 2022

Submit your project today and pay nothing to enter. If your project is selected for publication in the 2022 Education Design Showcase, you will receive an invoice in late September to help cover judging expenses and production, printing and distribution of Spaces4Learning magazine. Don't miss your chance to be part of this program, which highlights the nation's finest environments for teaching and learning. The extended submission deadline is Friday, Sept. 9!

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: Managing Schools and Classrooms to Promote Student Wellness

Our guest today is Bob Dillon, a school designer and consultant with STS Education. He's here to talk about the importance of student wellness during the learning day, from the time students arrive at the bus stop to the final bell.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: Hacking the Senses to Boost Student Wellness

Today's guests are Kim Montague, Executive Director - research and insights, and Kaelynn Reid, design futurist, both with Kimball International. They're here to talk about the design elements of multi-sensory environments that research and experience have shown to maximize student wellness.

FLEXspace

FLEXspace: Building a Community For Learning Space Design

Recently, Campus Technology visited with Lisa Stephens, Senior Strategist for Academic Innovation in the Office of the SUNY Provost and Assistant Dean of the University at Buffalo School of Engineering, about current and future developments in the FLEXspace platform.

UE Innovation Hub

The Future of Studying: New Studying instead of Old School Campus

While "New Work" has already become something of a buzzword, studying and learning is often still stuck in old habits and environments. With its new campus in Potsdam, the University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE) impressively demonstrates that things can be different.

Illinois High School to See $93.2M Renovation Project

Officials from Springfield School District 186 in Springfield, Ill., gathered last week to break ground on renovations to Lanphier High School. The project comes with a price tag of $93.2 million and is expected for completion by December 2023.

Bristol Aggie Lab

Hands-On Learning Spaces: 5 Lessons from Career Tech

The expanding importance of STEM education and project-based learning requires a rethinking of the traditional school planning and design process. A practical way to start is to adopt a broader, non-traditional mindset - especially during a school project’s conceptual phases.

OSU Reser Stadium Rendering

Oregon State University Reveals Stadium Redesign

The Reser Stadium Expansion at Oregon State University (OSU) will transform the stadium into a best-in-class football facility with year-round amenities accessible by all students, athletes, faculty and staff. SRG Partnership, in collaboration with Populous, and design-build partner Hoffman Construction are leading the project which puts the fan experience front and center.

Transforming a Dormant Computer Lab into an Engaging, Modern Learning Space

One school's plan to give each student a laptop not only eliminated the need for computer labs, but it also freed up physical space in its media center to repurpose a fairly large lab.

Manor Early College High School Rendering

Manor ISD Breaks Ground on New High School

Officials from the Manor Independent School District in Manor, Texas, recently broke ground on a new high school facility. The upcoming Early College High School will cover about 85,000 square feet and provide a “collegiate atmosphere” to a capacity of about 800 students, according to a press release.

TCEA Convention & Exposition 2022: Roundup

The TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) Convention & Exposition took place last week from Monday, Feb. 7, to Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. I had the opportunity to drop in on the convention for a day, and the following are some loosely organized thoughts about my experience there.

UMN Pioneer Hall

Gen Z Students Look for "Alone-Together" Space in College Housing

Those students born between 1997 and 2012, otherwise known as Generation Z or Gen Zers, are redefining expectations for college housing and services, according to an architectural firm that specializes in working with colleges and universities.

Willow Wood Elementary School exterior

Texas Elementary School Blends Rustic, Modern Elements

Architecture firm Perkins&Will recently saw the completion of its third elementary school for the Melissa Independent School District in the northeast part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Survey: Today's Classrooms Emphasizing Spacing and Flexibility

The classrooms of today are spacing students farther apart and emphasizing other aspects of health and wellness. That's what a survey of 140 teachers by National Business Furniture found.

SchenkelShultz Architecture Lower School

SchenkelShultz Designs Lower School Building, Gymnasium for Geneva School

SchenkelShultz Architecture recently announced that it has finished the designs for a new Lower School Academic Building and a 1,200-seat gymnasium for the Legacy Park Campus of The Geneva School in Casselberry, Fla.

LPA new middle school in Northeast Austin

LPA Reveals Design for Austin-Area Middle School

LPA recently released the design for a new middle school in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) in Austin, Texas. The school will serve the northeast part of the city including Mueller, a new urbanist development built on the grounds of the city’s former airport.

Passive House Sierra Grande School

Future-Proofing Educational Facilities: The Passive House Design Solution

High-performing, energy-efficient school facilities can serve a foundational role in uplifting students, staff and the greater community over the long term. The good news is that the solution for some facilities—depending on size, location and available resources—might be born out of the strategic implementation of a concept originating nearly 50 years ago: Passive House.

Orbital Reef space station rendering

Arizona State Envisions Office Park in Space

The ultimate coworking space for digital nomads is on the drawing board. Working alongside others, Arizona State University is developing a space station that acts as a business park.

Lake City Community School

RTA Architects Wins Planning and Design Award from A4LE

Colorado-based architectural and interior design firm RTA Architects announced recently that it has received the LEsolutions Planning and Design Award from the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE).

SAC Science Lab

Top 4 Science Lab Design Factors

College science labs are evolving as teaching and learning methods change. This adaptation includes increasing flexibility and the inclusion of both horizontal and vertical learning surfaces. Although student lab workstations are a critical component of any teaching lab, there are other factors that are just as important. O’Connell Robertson recently put these design criteria into practice while working on the new Alamo Colleges District San Antonio College (SAC) Science Lab Building.

St. Ambrose University Breaks Ground on $8M Renovation Project

St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, announced a renovation project recently that will transform the 105-year-old LeClaire Hall (the second-oldest building on campus) into the Higgins Hall for Innovation and Human-Centered Design.