school design

  The campus church at the Greater Atlanta Christian School (GACS) was proving too small for their expanding arts programs and would be hard pressed to support the big dream the school had for it. They envisioned a “Hogwarts” dining hall look and feel – or at least something that wouldn’t look out of place

  By Ryan Walters Every building has a story. A water story, a safety story, an energy story. For us, these stories all intertwine with sustainability. We believe sustainable design is inseparable from great design. So, what does sustainability mean when it comes to educational architecture? While we have known for some time of the

  By Jolie Conahan Students that read for pleasure are much more likely to do well academically. What is it, though, that motivates students to pick up a new book and read it for pleasure? Take a journey in your student’s shoes. What do they see when they enter the library, and does that view

  By Becky Brady K-12 schools exist to engage students in active learning, providing them with the skills and knowledge for successful futures. Unquestionably, these environments should also be safe and welcoming. Today’s students grapple with concerns including bullying, fights, the risk of school shootings, natural disasters, and mental health of students and teachers, which

  Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) recently completed a second story build out of St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Jordan, Minnesota—a middle school originally built by AP back in 2004 that included a shelled space on the second floor. The 13,000-square-foot expansion project included eight new classrooms, breakout rooms, a science lab, media

  Central Catholic High School has had a profound impact in San Antonio, Texas, since its founding more than 160 years ago. Over a century and a half, the school has educated seven generations of graduates from their historic building on North St. Mary’s. Since 2013 and the launch of the school’s Capital Campaign, the

  Building God’s Way and Hilbers, Inc. recently completed the new performing arts theater at Woodland Christian School in Woodland, California. This new state-of-the-art theater will seat up to 530 people and features a 1,000+ square foot stage with backstage prep area and dressing rooms, an upper balcony/mezzanine level, and a large lobby gathering space

  By Julie Wenckowski As schools are moving towards a more holistic approach to learning, creating flexible spaces that accommodate a variety of pedagogical learning styles has become a critical design element. Schools are removing sterile and cold spaces like cafeterias and large hallways and transforming them into flexible, functional spaces. Here are a few

  By Bill Whittaker Schools are some of the most complex and unique structures in all of architecture. Builders tasked with these projects have to consider strict budget requirements, high safety standards, and the complex needs of an academic institution. Since K-12 schools are such important facilities, the trends for designing these buildings have evolved.

The Ames Christian School in Ames, Iowa, came into being through the efforts of building contractors and the volunteer labor of many of the student’s families. Pressed for space in their existing location, the school recognized the need to provide a new facility for their students that would be more conducive to learning. Current needs,

Educators know that play is one of the most effective ways for children to learn. That is why a well-designed and well-installed playground is an indispensable part of a school. Here, we provide some suggestions for School Boards and PTAs to consider when choosing playground equipment and installing play structures on their grounds. Before you

Sports complexes today are becoming more and more intricate, involving a variety of different structures and buildings. Depending on the organization the complex is for, the facility can house practice fields, indoor training facilities, concession stands, practices fields, or even full-blown stadiums. Most of these buildings are small to medium in size. Modular construction provides

Pre-K–12 education has become far more sophisticated over the years, and with that has come the need to re-evaluate how school design must evolve to keep up with the current curriculum. There is a greater emphasis on student collaboration and creativity today, and technology has become a standard part of every learning environment. Many elementary,

Rapid technology advancements, sustainable design and new pedagogies incorporating various learning styles have permanently changed the way students learn. Consequently, school designers are modifying their approaches to incorporate these elements while still meeting fundamental student needs. I’ve been designing schools for a long time, and I’ve seen trends come and go. Here are five time-tested

Student outcomes are the most relevant factor when it comes to measuring the success of a learning environment. Though classroom design has an important influence on learning achievement, the majority of time is spent on traditional methods of enhancing the learning progress, such as executing standardized tests, professional growth for educators, and advancement or mediation

Those in charge of the grounds at schools should not underestimate the importance of grounds in contributing to school pride, first impressions and a professional image. It matters little the state of your school buildings when your grounds are the first thing people see. So, put some serious thought into ensuring your school grounds are

A year and a half after breaking ground, Grace Christian School in Millgrove, Ontario, opened its doors last September – right in time for the new school year. The brand-new school is the result of an amalgamation between Burlington’s John Calvin Christian School and Flamborough’s Covenant Christian School, which was demolished to make way for

The Catholic Diocese of Arlington engaged VMDO to lead the planning and design process to relocate Paul VI Catholic High School from its founding location in Fairfax, Virginia, to a new site in Loudoun County. The first and most critical step of the four-year process of design and construction was a three-month programming effort of

There are a lot of misnomers out there in regards to modular construction and modular buildings. We have listed the top 5 that we come across on a regular basis and how modular can be the best and most cost-efficient solution for your project! Myth 1 Modular Buildings Are Low Quality Modular construction is the

By Diana Rendina When I first arrived at my school, the library was in pretty dismal shape. It was dark, dingy, cluttered and pretty much the opposite of student-friendly. Over the course of five years, I gradually changed things up and redesigned our learning space into one that is flexible, collaborative, and fun. Here are

By Rick Ritacco Across the nation, greening initiatives have moved educational institutions of all kinds—public and private, religiously affiliated and non-religious—to examine their facilities’ every corner for eco-friendly opportunities. It stands to reason that an increasing number have considered the restrooms; after all, in any building where scores of people convene, the restrooms may well

According to a recent survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), over 7.8 million U.S. students currently participate in high school sports, breaking previous records for the 27th consecutive year. As participation and support for every sport from soccer to football, lacrosse, and track and field continues to grow, so do

By Cindy Eggebrecht The way the furniture in a classroom is designed and configured can have a significant effect on how students learn, research suggests—and if you want students to engage in more active learning by working together to solve problems collaboratively, you can actually encourage those behaviors with how you arrange the desks and

Contrary to general assumptions, the design process for industrial wood construction can be both high-quality and fast. The advantages of modular design are clear. Dimensionally accurate wood elements can help in improving both the technical design process and collaboration between partners. Prefabricated wood elements enable fast, efficient and easy design without reducing quality. Reports on

Located in Alpharetta, Georgia, King’s Ridge Christian School is considered one of the premier private schools in the area with the mission to provide a college preparatory education equipping students to know, to serve, and to believe. This project includes the addition of two buildings to this active campus: a High School Building and the

By Andrew Glasmacher Architects work with their clients to make sure their needs are met in a contemporary and tasteful way. Building designs can go from simple and utilitarian to grand and ornate, depending on budget and the client’s wishes. Designs often include decorative rock or brick surfaces, large plate or stained glass windows, hard-surface

By Mike Serridge and Kate Willoughby Demand for STEM skills is strong across all economies and is set to grow in the coming years. Despite this, the issue of falling numbers in the uptake of higher level science and technology-based education has been the subject of many debates, studies, and reports for several decades. There