FEATURE ARTICLE
EEE awards put emphasis on quality learning spaces by David Henebry
fter several years of partici-
the highest of three awards given in
made in each category. With that said,
pating and observing the jury
this program, we believe it clearly
here are the six categories for school
process for IASB’s annual Exhibit
indicates that a certain standard of
design projects:
of Educational Environments (EEE),
excellence must be met to qualify for
• New Schools
LZT Associates,
combined with the evolution of knowl-
the recognition.
• Major Additions
Inc./Larson &
• Minor Additions (under 10,000
Darby Group. He
A
David Henebry is a principal with
edge about what education environ-
The primary purpose of the jury
ments should be, the committee in
is to recognize districts that have
charge of this conference event decid-
invested in providing the best learn-
• Major Renovation or Adaptive Reuse
of the IASB Invi-
ed to revisit how the submissions are
ing environments for students to suc-
• Special Project — Historic Preser-
tational Exhibit of
made and juried.
ceed. That’s why we refocused the
gross square feet)
vation or Sensitive Rehab
is also chairman
Educational Envi-
Much of the evaluation previ-
judging criteria to look at each school
• Special Project — Small Projects
ronments on
ously was based on technical aspects
project as a pliable, flexible instru-
under $4 million or single spaces
behalf of the
and architectural appeal of the school
ment for educators to use and adapt
Moving from the submissions to
design. However, these criteria did
with future shifts and change. With
the jury side of the discussion, the
not fit well into the actual jury dis-
an occasional exception, we have
committee also reorganized and
cussion once the field of projects was
found that most architectural firms
weighted how the jury scores each
narrowed.
delivering these qualities tend also
project. This serves two purposes:
to have exceptional skill at creating
(1) to clearly communicate to school
aesthetic solutions.
boards, administrators and architects
at the Joint Annu-
In addition, too many of the photographs submitted with the projects
IASB Service Associates, which sponsors the school design awards program
focused on the building lobby or exte-
While we know several new
what is expected to achieve an Award
al Conference.
rior, often leaving the jury guessing
schools and major additions always
of Distinction; and (2) to give appro-
Also serving on
and searching the floor plans to deter-
will be submitted to the program, the
priate weight to a project’s ability
the EEE commit-
mine if the design provided a quali-
other categories tended to vary from
to create an exceptional learning envi-
tee are: Mark Joli-
ty learning environment.
year to year. Therefore, the com-
ronment.
coeur, principal
To clarify the process both for
mittee decided to expand the cate-
To accomplish this, each entrant
the judges and the entrants, we have
gories in order to: (1) improve the
is required to write a short synopsis
Will, and Glenn
returned to the true intent of the EEE
opportunity for recognition and; (2)
for each of the five criteria. By fol-
Eriksson, presi-
awards program. We started with the
encourage submissions that other-
lowing the suggested characteristics
title: “Exhibition of Education Envi-
wise would not be entered or would
as guidance, submitters have a chance
ronments,” which we believe was and
have difficulty competing.
to “tell the story” behind their pro-
is very clear in its intent.
Although the EEE program now
ject. Here are the five criteria, weight-
Next, we examined what the term
has three additional categories, there
ed grades and characteristics:
“Award of Distinction” implied. As
is no guarantee that an award will be
• Program/Challenge (0-30 pts)
THE ILLINOIS SCHOOL BOARD JOURNAL / SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
with Perkins+
dent, Eriksson Engineering Associates.
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