Planning & Design


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.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: Creating More Dynamic Learning Environments

Today's guest is Sue Ann Highland. Currently, she's the National Education Strategist for School Specialty, but previously, she served as an educator for more than 25 years as a school and district administrator, a curriculum director, teacher, and more. She's here to talk about how dynamic learning environments can help keep students active and engaged. We'll talk about the six instructional elements that support dynamic learning, the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic, the increased reliance of both students and teachers on the digital landscape, and the general impact of learning environments on a student's educational journey. This episode is sponsored by School Specialty.

4 Tips for Building Modern, Collaborative Learning Spaces

Here’s how one elementary school demolished its nearly 100-year-old building and replaced it with a modern, collaborative learning space.

DLR Group Acquires Two Education Design Firms

Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced the acquisitions of two major education design firms stationed on the east and west coasts.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: The Future of the Physical Campus

This episode’s guest is Benjamin Strain, Higher Education Design Leader for DLR Group. He's here to discuss an ongoing DLR research initiative called "The Evolution of Campus," which involves interviews and outreach to higher education institutions to help them navigate the pandemic, return to campus, and explore new spatial and design requirements to meet the needs of faculty and students. He reveals some common themes among all three rounds of research (so far) and addresses the question on everyone's mind: "What’s the future of the physical campus?"

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: Well, Now What?

Jonathan Matta, National Education Leader with KI Furniture, takes us through a bird's-eye view of lessons learned from the pandemic. We address topics like learning vs. education, why the term "learning loss" is a bit of a misnomer, re-imagining learning culture, the importance of flexible learning spaces, and how to give students agency in their own educational process. We also talk about how reflections of the shift in learning culture over the last decade can be found in everything from Star Wars to The Office. Sponsored by KI Furniture.

ASI Group Launches BIM Content Library

ASI Group, a manufacturer of restroom accessories, toilet partitions, visual display products and lockers, has announced the launch of its BIM Content Library for use by construction, architecture and design professionals. The library will allow these professionals access to a wide variety of practical design tools.

Schools In Focus: Talking Campus Security with Mitch McKinley

Schools In Focus: Flooring Design Solutions in the Era of COVID-19

Interior design plays a fundamental role in not only making education spaces functional, but also in creating a calm, soothing environment for students and faculty alike. Aesthetics—from color selection to layout—are crucial in helping schools re-emerge from the pandemic as safe spaces that promote emotional and psychological well-being. This episode is sponsored by Mohawk Group.

Design Phase Approved for UK College of Medicine Construction

This week, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved the design phase for the construction of a new building for the UK College of Medicine. According to a press release, the facility will include about 380,000 square feet of classrooms, conference rooms, simulation suites, office space, and support space.

Daniel Wright Junior High School

Redesigning Older School Buildings to Support Specific Learning Models

Our single-story school building was built in the 1970s and has been added onto and modified many times over the years. When it came time to give it yet another overhaul last year, the goal was to create a modern, collaborative learning environment that supported group work, Socratic seminars, fishbowl meetings, and STEM learners. We simply couldn’t check off all of these boxes using our existing footprint, so we started looking at how we could modify the space

NC State Enters Phase 4 of Greek Housing Project

North Carolina State University is partnering with KWK Architects and Jenkins-Peer Architects for Phase 4 of its five-phase Greek Village Master Plan. Infrastructure work is in progress for a new apartment building and two new townhouse units.

Nursing students

Florida Higher Ed Institutions to Expand Nursing Education Opportunities

Daytona State College’s Palm Coast campus is set to begin a $4.2-million renovation project that will allow it to expand its nursing program. The college has partnered with DLR Group and Charles Perry Partners, Inc., on the construction that will create teaching facilities to fit an additional 90 nursing students.

Open-air classrooms

Schools Consider Return to Open-Air Classrooms

Solutions to modern problems sometimes find their roots in the past. During the tuberculosis epidemic in the early 20th century, many U.S. schools used open-air classroom designs to prevent the virus’ spread among students. Now, during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, schools are once again turning to this model to allow students the fresh air and proper ventilation necessary for a healthy learning environment.

Digital rendering of school

Matterport Virtual Tours Help Schools Plan Reopening Procedures

Matterport virtual tours offer the means to help schools set up a reopening plan and relay that information effectively. The technology lets schools create a virtual, 3D rendering of the entire campus. With this digital model in place, officials can get a fuller view of how students use the space, the changes that need to be made, and where to implement them.

U Kentucky College of Design Shares Plans for Tobacco Warehouse Renovation

U Kentucky College of Design Shares Plans for Tobacco Warehouse Renovation

The University of Kentucky has revealed the plans for its new College of Design (CoD). The institution intends to renovate a century-old tobacco warehouse and turn it into a "vibrant and interactive learning space for design students." The design was done by Studio Gang, in collaboration with Louisville-based architect-of-record K. Norman Berry Associates (KNBA).

CA High School STEM Building Topped Off

A California district has "topped off" its new multi-story, $67 million, 83,000-square-foot STEM school. The Los Alamitos Unified School District has laid the last piece of structural framing at the highest point of the building. The steel beam that was placed included handwritten messages, an American flag and an evergreen tree.

Oregon State to Add Arts and Education Complex

Oregon State to Add Arts and Education Complex

Oregon State University in Corvallis will be getting a new Arts and Education facility. The university's board of trustees recently approved construction of the $70 million complex, which will host performing arts classes, programs and performances on the campus in a 500-seat concert hall.

San Antonio College Uses Bond for New Campus Construction

San Antonio College Uses Bond for New Campus Construction

San Antonio College is funding construction of a new $13 million science building from a $83 million bond approved by county voters in 2017.

Virginia Commonwealth Shows Off New Engineering Research Building — Virtually

Virginia Commonwealth Shows Off New Engineering Research Building — Virtually

According to the university, the 133,000-square-foot building is intended to support advanced research and economic development initiatives with a design that emphasizes makerspaces, collaborative research facilities and flexible gathering areas.

Schools In Focus podcast logo on the left and Ishita Banerjii

Schools In Focus: KSU’s New Multicultural Student Center

Ishita Banerjii, project architect at Hollis + Miller, discusses Kansas State University’s new multicultural student center. The building, dedicated to advance student diversity, features various gathering spaces like dance studios, huddle rooms, and a commercial kitchen.

The volume of the existing structure of CEC Fort Collins High School offered an opportunity to bring daylight in from above, creating a community space within the hallway.

Adaptive Reuse Offers Schools an Opportunity to Innovate, Embrace Sustainability and Reduce Costs

As the education industry assimilates to a new and uncertain future, we can take one lesson from 2020 with us: we must embrace innovative solutions and have the courage to try new things as we plan for the future. Adaptive reuse can support this endeavor.

Schools In Focus Podcast logo and headshots Turan Duda and Jeff Paine.

Schools In Focus: Centering Student Health and Wellness In Design

In this episode of Schools In Focus, Turan Duda and Jeff Paine, founding principals of Duda|Paine Architects, discuss how architectural design is shifting to better address the mental and physical health needs of students.

Outdoor learning pavilion at Linden Waldorf School in Nashville, TN.

With New Open-Air Classrooms, Nashville Private School Moves Learning Outdoors

With a curriculum centered on connection to nature and environmental stewardship, Linden Waldorf School's vision for the pavilions were to move all classes completely outdoors where students get to be in nature throughout the whole school day.

The new entrance for the University of Central Missouri

U Central MO Gets "Living Room" Makeover

The University of Central Missouri has gone public with an update on a multi-year masterplan for renovating the Elliott Student Union, dubbed as the "campus living room," by the university's community.

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