City College of San Francisco STEAM Building cultivates curiosity, creativity and collaboration page 8
Innovative Interiors
Bezdek Center for the Performing Arts will house state-of-theart learning, performance and rehearsal spaces page 20
Facility of the Month
Florence Roche Elementary School incorporates Universal Design for Learning page 10
Health and Wellness
Harnessing natural daylight for sustainable and inclusive school design page 22
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Company News
In February, architecture, interior design and planning firm Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture (CGD)—with offices in Greenville, S.C., and Baltimore—merged with PBK, the nation’s largest education design firm, to form Craig Gaulden Davis | PBK. The merged firm will reach clients across 31 offices nationwide. The expansion into the Carolinas and Maryland makes Craig Gaulden Davis | PBK one of the most comprehensive architectural firms in the country. In practice for more than 67 years, CGD is known for its communitycentered projects in the education, arts, civic, ministry and commercial sectors, primarily in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Founded in 1981, PBK is an innovator in the architecture and design industry, specializing in educational, sports, civic and healthcare facilities. PBK’s strong national presence and portfolio will complement CGD’s regional expertise and personalized customer service approach.
In January, DLR Group announced a merger with Boston-based planning and architecture firm Tsoi Kobus Design. The merger ensures the 40-year legacy and continuity of Tsoi Kobus for its 50 employees, providing the firm with an expanded global platform to influence the next generation of higher education, healthcare and life sciences design. The firm will operate as DLR Group|Tsoi Kobus Design in Boston. Tsoi Kobus is recognized as the leading designer of healthcare and advanced proton therapy facilities at academic, clinical and research hospitals around the world. It also brings an award-winning portfolio of life sciences, higher education and commercial design to complement DLR Group practices in those markets. In Boston, Tsoi Kobus provides DLR Group with an established location to serve its existing clients, including Bucknell University, Columbia University and Yale University as well as Boston Public Schools, Cambridge Public Schools and a variety of commercial clients.
Lisa Robach, CPSM, associate and higher education strategy and development leader at the Detroit office of HED, has been elected regional chair for the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) North Central Region Council, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based non-profit focused on enriching the educational experience through research, community and idea sharing. With more than 25 years of AEC experience in leadership, marketing, strategy and more, Robach is committed to fostering SCUP’s culture of continuous learning and advancing equity in education through integrated planning.
Erica Ostendorf Mullins, MBA, WRID, ASID, has been named president and CEO of Madison, Wis.based architecture and planning firm Strang Inc. An award-winning designer, Mullins has played a critical role in the firm’s strategy, planning and innovative design for more than 10 years. Mullins’ understanding of client needs, paired with her wide array of experience as an interior designer and project manager, has created realworld solutions for the firm, and she will continue this impact in her new role. Mullins succeeds Larry Barton who will transition into supporting Strang’s clientele, community outreach and business development efforts, building on his 40-year career with the firm.
Clark Nexsen, a Virginia Beach, Va.-based architecture and planning firm, recently announced the promotions of Aaron Brumo, AIA, LEED AP, to principal and Becky Brady, AIA, LEED AP, to associate principal.
A seasoned architect with more than two decades of experience, Brumo’ s expertise lies not only in K-12 and higher education but also commercial, community and cultural projects. Climbing the ranks from associate principal to senior architect to principal, Brumo’s extensive design experience, mentoring skills and technical abilities have been instrumental in various Clark Nexsen projects, including the Carolina Day Lower School in Asheville, N.C., which won two AIA awards in 2017.
Brady builds on a 17-year career at Clark Nexsen with her new role as associate principal, where she will continue strengthen her architectural specialization in the K-12, higher education, federal and commercial sectors. Brady has contributed to numerous awardwinning projects, including Edneyville Elementary School in Hendersonville, N.C., which won four AIA awards. Known for her design expertise and community advocacy, Brady has been selected to present at numerous conferences, has authored multiple blogs and collaborated with professional organizations.
Raven Hawkins—business development manager for the higher education, science, technology and health sectors at the Washington offices of SmithGroup—has been named chapter manager for the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Chesapeake Bay Area, a biopharma collective providing educational, training and networking opportunities to local communities. With extensive experience as an industry leader in pharmaceutical knowledge, Hawkins will lead initiatives focused on strengthening the chapter’s impact in the life sciences industry through programming and events. With technical expertise and a portfolio full of strengthening markets, cross-functional collaboration and delivering measurable results, Hawkins will use her relationship building skills to create positive ISPE member experiences.
Education Professionals
Rhea Law, J.D., president of the University of South Florida since 2021, recently announced she will step down from her position after a successor is selected. During her tenure, Law helped the university achieve record-setting gains in research funding, undergraduate applications and philanthropic success. Law prioritized investments in the university’s infrastructure and oversaw the groundbreaking of a new on-campus stadium. Under her leadership, USF remained in the top 50 public universities in the U.S. and was the first Florida university to join the Association of American Universities, a select group of the U.S. and Canada’s top-tier research institutions.
Dan Cook, NCARB, was recently appointed as Notre Dame University’s new university architect and vice president for facilities design and operations. Cook succeeds Doug Marsh, who will continue his leadership in the campus’ facilities design and operations team through May.
Cook, a 1996 Notre Dame alumnus, has served as executive director of planning, design and construction at the University of Texas (UT) Austin since 2021. There, he led a team of more than 200 professionals focused on construction, design and project management of more than 20 million square feet of facilities. Prior to his role at UT Austin, Cook served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years, with an emphasis on executive leadership within facility services, management, design and utility systems operations. Cook will use his multi-faceted experience to streamline campus construction projects, manage more than 1,000 acres of campus grounds and further Notre Dame’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
4 Top Architects on Career Highlights and Future Trends
To deliver education projects that will serve students and communities for years to come, designers often become lifelong learners themselves
By Lindsey Coulter
As design techniques and methodologies evolve with education trends and emerging research on student success, designers are challenged to develop buildings and spaces that will endure for decades, while remaining flexible enough to adapt to changing needs and approaches.
For the 2025 Architects Roundtable, School Construction News welcomes experts from across the country and the K-12 to higher education spectrum to speak on recent shifts in education design, important lessons they have learned over the years and the trends they anticipate.
Lori
Cowles,
AIA, ALEP, LEED AP
Cowles is a principal at HMFH Architects with 32 years of experience designing sustainable K-12 schools that support student well-being and accommodate a range of learning and teaching modalities. She is currently working on an all-new 409,000-square-foot high school in Arlington, Mass., that will be completed across four phases on an occupied site.
“I was lucky to begin work at HMFH Architects in the early days of my career and realized that there was no better building type than designing spaces for teaching and learning,” Cowles said.
Robert Siegel, FAIA
Siegel established his private practice in 1991 after earning a Master of Science in Architecture from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University. He has taught architectural design and building technology at Parsons School of Design, Syracuse University and the Boston Architectural Center, among others, and is the former chair of the AIA New York Chapter Committee on the Environment. Siegel is currently in design development on the Tiffin University Residential Village project, a 450-bed hall in northern Ohio.
“I’ve found that education projects draw on everything that initially attracted me to architecture—the intersection of psychology, sociology, technology and art,” Siegel said. “These buildings shape not just current experiences but the future creativity of their occupants.”
SCN: What is the most significant education design trend to evolve over the past decade?
COWLES: Expansion of indoor/outdoor connections and opportunities throughout the school day. There has been a true realization of how vital this is for mental health and the occupants’ ability to focus on teaching and learning.
LEMBKE: Student variability accounts for 50% of their learning progress, which begs for increased personalization in design. Great educational design transcends the age of the student to support the complexity of learning activities and the needs of every learner. Typologies and solutions once reserved for higher education and advanced high schools are now accessible to younger learners. That translates into opportunities for teachers to differentiate and for students to give voice and choice on their academic journeys.
SIEGEL: The most significant trend I’ve observed is the shift to technologyintegrated flex spaces that support learning in a variety of ways, including remote learning. A decade ago, classrooms had rigid rows facing a single teaching wall, whereas today we’re completely reevaluating education design as a set of dynamic ecosystems where furniture, technology and even walls can be reconfigured throughout the day.
Jason Lembke, AIA, NCARB
Lembke, group principal and national K-12 education design leader for DLR Group, has decades of experience in planning, programming and design. He recently completed an arts-focused elementary school, integrating a community porch component for students that also serves as an expression of community and purpose.
“The influence of my first mentor ... was profound in helping me shape my expertise,” Lembke said. “I could quickly see how educational projects were intricately connected to their communities and the future success of those communities. It was no longer lines on a page or a collection of spaces; it was a place where they would create memories, relationships and learn about themselves as much as any subject being taught.”
Peter Verne, AIA, LEED AP Verne, senior associate and senior architectural designer at FCA, examines the benefits and complexities of retrofitting higher education facilities in response to changing pedagogy, technology and energy performance. His recent renovation work on Farmingdale State College’s Thompson Hall increased the building’s thermal performance without modifying its historic exterior and added modern HVAC and IT systems.
“The first part of my career introduced me to ... healthcare, transportation and municipal as well as higher education,” Verne said. “At some point, I realized how much I liked the atmosphere of college campuses. There is a sense of optimism, of creating something better, and that everybody there really wants to be there. That’s not found so universally in other areas.”
Cowles
Lembke
Siegel
Verne
This evolution reflects a deeper understanding that learning happens everywhere—not just in formal classroom settings.
VERNE: A significant evolution in the last decade is the wide recognition that there are different methods of teaching and learning. A classroom is no longer assumed to follow the didactic model, with an instructor standing in front of a teaching wall facing a grid of students taking notes. Today, we recognize other pedagogies—including active, small-group and self-directed learning—all of which have different spatial and system requirements.
SCN: How has evolving research on how students learn changed the way you design education spaces?
COWLES: Studies prove that we all learn differently, and physical spaces need to support this diversity. At HMFH, we work closely with educators to create a variety of spaces within proximity to each other to enable fluid and flexible movement throughout the school day.
LEMBKE: How we shape space—its volume, orientation, color, visual complexity, materiality, resources and relationships to other spaces—is more clearly identifiable thanks to the availability of evolving research. That knowledge becomes foundational to our technical vernacular; however, without empathy and consideration of broader factors that are unique to every place and circumstance, we may settle for simply “better than before” at the expense of creating generational value and elevating the student experience through great design.
SIEGEL: Neuroscience and educational research have helped us prioritize natural light, appropriate acoustics, thermal comfort and air quality ... instead of just packing buildings full of an assortment of amenities. Hagar Goldberg’s research in “Growing Brains, Nurturing Minds—Neuroscience as an Educational Tool to Support Students’ Development as Life-Long Learners” demonstrates how “formal and informal learning, which generates long-term and accessible knowledge, is mediated by neuroplasticity to create adaptive structural and functional changes in brain networks.” This understanding that experience-dependent neuroplasticity is at full force during school years presents what Goldberg calls a “tremendous educational opportunity.” We use research heavily to intentionally create environments that are “human-brain-friendly” and “ride the neuroplasticity wave” by providing varied stimuli and adaptable spaces that support a variety of learning experiences.
VERNE: The increasing acceptance of active learning models has impacted higher education space programming and design. At its most basic concept, the flexibility required for active and self-directed group learning classrooms calls for a larger footprint, about 20% more per student, than traditional didactic teaching spaces. I am aware of discussions around learning styles—visual, auditory, reading/writing, kinesthetic—but I think most professors incorporate multiple methods to impart information. I can’t say it has had a spatial impact on the design of learning spaces, other than perhaps increasing the number of spaces programmed for active learning methods as inherently more flexible.
SCN: What have you learned about education design from your clients and students?
COWLES: Listen closely, because they provide invaluable information about their needs that we can then respond to. Every lesson learned from one project is carried to the next, building upon our depth and breadth of knowledge.
LEMBKE: If you want to create more purposeful and meaningful growth in educational design, listen to the students first. Use their insights to ask the adults better questions, and sometimes you’ve got to ask “why” or “why not” more than once. The first answer usually scratches the surface, while the second or third answer reveals more truth. With time and trust, you’ll reach the root challenge and in turn unveil the uniqueness of the opportunity.
SIEGEL: Flexibility and creativity are the most important lessons I’ve learned from my educational projects. Being able to build a space that is durable and highly adaptable is an applicable challenge for all building typologies, but becomes particularly evident in educational architecture, when incredible quantities of people use a space for a variety of programming requirements, subject to change each year.
VERNE: College students in particular lead complicated lives. Many are coming to college as traditional first-time/full-time students, but many others are people with jobs, families and responsibilities beyond their studies. To foster a bond between the student and institution, especially those institutions without a residential component, it’s vitally important that students have a place to go between classes. These environments include lounges and small-group study spaces. Even simple wide spaces in corridors with seating to accept students decanting from classrooms [help to] keep students on campus and engaged during their “downtime” and should be incorporated into space programs.
SCN: What is on the horizon for education design?
COWLES: We see a continual push for more sustainable materials and efficient systems. I may just be being hopeful, but buildings are getting more complicated to operate, even the controls for lighting (gone is the on-off switch). So, a trend toward simplification and more user-friendly operations would be great.
LEMBKE: I see the school of the future as a true resource center and a cornerstone of generational value to its community. Entrepreneurialism and rapidly evolving technology will allow students to realize their passion at a younger age than ever before. We see career and technical education fostering applied and authentic learning opportunities, specialized spaces that support advancing science and healthcare, and the ubiquity of technology creating interdisciplinary opportunities. The arts and selfexpression through music, drama, etc., are here to stay, too. I hope that we see fewer “copies” of schools that support decreasing modalities of learning and increase our time and attention on the design process to develop purposeful and personalized solutions.
SIEGEL: I anticipate accelerated integration of wellness and mental health supports into the physical fabric of learning environments. This goes beyond dedicated counseling spaces to include sensory-considerate design throughout facilities, biophilic elements that reduce stress, and environments that encourage movement and connection with nature. The mental health crisis among young people demands that we rethink fundamental aspects of educational environments.
VERNE: Competition among institutions for undergraduate students is more palpable than ever. To continue to thrive, universities need to sharpen their approaches to attracting students. This is not a call for more climbing walls or student life amenities (although there is a place for those as well). Rather, it requires a clear understanding of who their students are, why they choose to be there and how it aligns with the institution’s mission. Most colleges and universities already do this as part of their strategic planning. The stakes are only getting higher.
Flipping the Script on Hybrid Learning
By David Schrader and Jennifer Grafton
The term “hybrid learning” may induce a sense of panic, recalling a time when students were reintegrating into a post-pandemic world, juggling virtual and inperson learning. During that time, we learned many lessons about the opportunities and challenges that hybrid learning affords. Education systems are starting to embrace the benefits, redefining hybrid learning to empower students to craft their educational journeys.
Further, the shift from lecture-based to project-based learning can involve facility-focused experiences or externally focused activities where students are immersed in hands-on, real-world scenarios. These “hybrid” solutions suggest the next generation of unique facilities.
We asked several building and district leaders to share their thoughts on the future of “hybrid learning.”
Internal Hybrid Learning
Internalized hybrid learning was the focus of design at the recently completed Upper Merion Area High School in King of Prussia, Pa.
“Upper Merion Area High School’s hybrid learning framework is predicated on the understanding that the needs of today’s learners transcend the conventional four-walled classroom,” said Principal Jonathan Bauer.
“This model, characterized by ‘anytime, anywhere learning,’ integrates diverse instructional methodologies, encompassing both flexible physical spaces and virtual platforms, to cultivate students’ critical thinking, collaborative acumen, creative expression, and communication skills.”
The SCHRADERGROUP design team was challenged to create a facility that supported “anytime, anywhere learning” through the built environment as well as through the technology and employed several strategies in support of the district’s mission:
Large Gathering Commons
Central gathering areas should encourage interaction and engagement among students and the public throughout the day, including before and after school and on evenings and weekends. Learning Commons provide vibrant, adaptable environments that support both academic and social needs. These non-structured “hybrid” environments encourage students to explore and develop ideas in diverse settings.
An intentional mixture of commons spaces within academic and community areas promotes dynamic use
of the facility and fosters a sense of community. Careful compartmentalization controls movement and access
ensuring that areas can function independently while remaining part of the whole.
Upper Merion’s Central Building Commons accommodates multiple functions, including dining, a learning resource area and access to academic spaces. The commons area connects to physical education, athletic and performing arts spaces, serving as pre- and post-function spaces during evening and weekends. Well-designed commons breathe life into traditionally underutilized spaces, demonstrating their versatility.
Diversity of Space Types
Few professions require employees to work in isolation; teamwork is essential for preparing learners for a world that demands collaborative problem solving. Educators emphasize the three R’s: rigor, relevance and relationships. Collaboration is vital to furthering these attributes for a successful learning experience.
Today’s hybrid environments require multiple space types to support multimodal learning, characterized by flexibility through movable walls and furniture that allow students to shape space to adapt to their needs.
Upper Merion Area High School offers traditional learning studios organized around a STEAM-based core, featuring genius bars, learning stairs and individualized
breakout areas. This multifunctional space is designed to prepare students for the workplace.
Transparency
Transparency is central to the facility’s design, enhancing visual connection between various learning activities. Organized by department, each curricular area has access to a variety of small and large group rooms and workstations, integrated with technology, to engage students in individual and team-based projects. Perimeter learning studios are visually connected to breakout areas with ample glass panels. The academic wing is linked vertically by a 3-story learning stair, encouraging the cross-pollination of learning activities.
Instructional Planning Areas
The redefined hybrid experience benefits not only students but also instructors. Teachers engage in diverse activities across multiple shared venues, moving beyond the isolation of traditional “owned” classrooms. Instead, they are immersed in collaborative hubs that mirror
modern workplace designs, featuring kitchenettes, conference spaces and comfortable facilities. These
Instructional Planning Areas are strategically located throughout the academic wing, allowing instructors to model positive behaviors for students.
Technology
Upper Merion Area High School’s technology infrastructure enables “anytime, anywhere learning” by facilitating communication and broadcasting throughout the entire facility via a fully integrated audio-visual system. Instructors can teach multiple classes from a single learning studio, students can broadcast from the video production studio or performing arts spaces to various parts of the facility, and individuals can participate in online college courses seamlessly.
External Hybrid Learning
When engaged in capacity and program discussions, Marc Bertrando, Ed.D, superintendent of schools at the Garnet Valley School District in Delaware County, Pa., suggested that high school no longer needs to be confined within four walls.
“The modern student moves seamlessly between in-person collaboration, virtual instruction, career and technical experiences, and real-world internships,” Bertrando said. “Hybrid learning is not just about combining online and face-to-face instruction—it’s about rethinking time, space, and access to education.
Bertrando added that personalized learning is built on flexibility and that students should have greater control over the time, place, pace and space in which they learn.
“As schools embrace later start times, asynchronous opportunities, and a shift away from rigid seat-time requirements, we are preparing students for the dynamic, flexible world they will enter after graduation,” Bertrando said. “The high school experience must mirror the evolving demands of the workforce, fostering independence, adaptability and a personalized approach to learning that meets students where they are.”
Sue A. Mariani, Ed.D., superintendent of Duquesne City School District Superintendent a similar academic future, noting that hybrid learning is no longer confined to the blend of virtual and in-person instruction; it is about redefining how and where students engage with content, collaborate, and demonstrate mastery. For example, through innovative programs like the World of Work initiative, Duquesne City School District aims to
UMAHS offers traditional learning studios organized around a STEAM-based core, featuring genius bars, learning stairs and individualized breakout areas.
Photo Credit (all): Courtesy of SCHRADERGROUP
An intentional mixture of commons spaces within academic and community areas promotes dynamic use of the facility and fosters a sense of community.
At UMAHS, Instructional Planning Areas are strategically located throughout the academic wing, allowing instructors to model positive behaviors for students.
The Art of the Sciences, and the Science of the Arts
The
City College of San Francisco STEAM Building is a welcoming, accessible interdisciplinary hub that cultivates curiosity, creativity and collaboration
By Lindsey Coulter
The new $151 million City College of San Francisco (CCSF) STEAM Building communicates its academic purpose almost immediately. From the outside, students and visitors see not just the interplay of sunlight on the building’s textured facade, they can also see directly into the facility itself—where science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics instruction is fully on display. Inside, the building offers a dynamic learning environment complete with the latest technologies and a rich color palette.
These thoughtful and impactful design strategies by the San Francisco office of integrated design firm SmithGroup are representative of the immense care and intention brought to every aspect of the building’s development. The SmithGroup team worked closely with CCSF officials, Kitchell construction management, and collaborative Design-Build partners at Rudolph + Sletten to deliver a technical, compact and challenging project at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and within a limited budget. The project challenged the team to think broadly and innovatively to connect art and science education in new and exciting ways.
Engaging and Listening
The 124,000-square-foot STEAM Building was part of an $845 million public bond effort to update City College instructional spaces and address aging infrastructure. CCSF administrators used part of the funding to prioritize STEAM education, modernize outdated infrastructure, and foster interdisciplinary knowledge to better prepare students for an evolving economy.
The team of SmithGroup and Rudolph + Sletten was awarded to the project under the first progressive design-build delivery approach commissioned by the CCSF Community College District. The team was tasked with developing numerous programming, design and pricing options to maximize the college’s budget. To accomplish this, SmithGroup created design criteria using stakeholders’ priorities and institutional goals which developed into a survey tool that allowed faculty, staff, and students to vote on aspects of the design that best aligned with the criteria. The team also used brainstorming exercises to help university leaders to think more deeply about interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The approach gave stakeholders a sense of cocreation and ownership, but also helped identify spatial challenges and organizational opportunities.
Prioritizing Needs
In addition to balancing constraints related to the pandemic and budget reductions, the team also faced the challenge of fitting all programs and spaces within the building’s compact footprint.
“STEAM is a relatively rare typology for higher education and community colleges,” said Rosa Sheng, FAIA, director of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Higher Education Studio Leader for Smith Group’s San Francisco office. “While the STEAM interdisciplinary mindset is the goal, getting every department under one roof is challenging from a space and cost perspective.”
The project team and CCSF officials ultimately prioritized programs with the greatest infrastructure and space needs: Chemistry, Biology and 2D/3D Arts. The intent was to develop a highly transparent interdisciplinary hub for these programs while still welcoming the broader STEAM learning community. The solution was a simple structure to meet the efficiency of construction budget and schedule, paired with the
design concept of stacking drawers. This allowed each floor’s interior composition to represent the building’s interdisciplinary nature.
The first floor focuses on shared instructional and collaboration spaces, while the second-floor houses art instruction, faculty offices and biology labs. Upper floors host integrated lab and lecture spaces for biology and chemistry. The project also introduced new tools and technologies. The Anatomy Lab now includes a cadaver room, there are new fume hoods in the chemistry lab, a greenhouse on the second floor for the Biology Department, and the Arts Department includes a kiln for the ceramics and sculpture programs, exhaust systems and chemical storage for printmaking, paints and materials.
Artful Aesthetics
The STEAM Building was envisioned as a radically welcoming, accessible interdisciplinary hub that provides safe and comfortable spaces for all users. It also had to meet the college’s strategic goals of cultivating curiosity, creativity and collaboration, while ensuring future-ready resilience.
This passion, shared by all project team members, is reflected through several thoughtful design strategies. For example, an Innovation Center on the first level opens to the outdoor plaza, inviting students and visitors into the building while showcasing the highly flexible makerspace and collaboration areas. To equip students for the careers of the future, the state-of-the-art lab and arts instruction spaces are designed for interdisciplinary education. Integrating welcoming spaces for individual and group study, tutoring and mentorship on all floors disrupts barriers to learning and engagement.
To further celebrate interdisciplinary learning, the team used “The Art of the Sciences” and “The Science of the Arts” approach to catalyze a shift in pedagogy. For example, the third-floor Anatomy Lab, which studies the human body from a biological perspective, is located above the figure-drawing studio, which celebrates the human body in art, explained Bill Katz, AIA, senior design principal and architect with SmithGroup.
“I love exploring the idea that the design of buildings on a campus can have a profound effect on interdisciplinary curriculum, and the sense of collected community that comes with it,” Katz said.
The team also developed a strategy in which fire separation doors on hold-opens allowed for each level to be interconnected with a feature staircase and student resource spaces. This smart interpretation of the code helped to create welcoming “heart spaces” that unified social zones on each floor.
“It was important to connect all four floors in a very intentional way, both physically and visually,” said Jason Campbell, Associate AIA, NOMA, associate and design lead with SmithGroup. “The centrally located open stair area and elevator core features a 4-story collage inspired by Diego Rivera’s “Pan American Unity” mural, distilling the tones and hues used in the original fresco.”
The mural and its color palette serve as the foundation for the connectedness of arts and sciences throughout the building. Distinct orange, yellow and blue tones from the mural distinguish each floor to support wayfinding. The color theme is also expressed in the hallways, student resource spaces, open stairwell and restrooms.
The centrally located open stair area and elevator core features a 4-story collage inspired by Diego Rivera’s “Pan American Unity” mural. Photo Credit (all): Emily Hagopian
Strides in Sustainability
Incorporating sustainability further reinforced the design goals and institution’s values. On the ground level, native vegetation increases bioretention, while the conversion of parking lots to balanced softscape and hardscape provides a new outdoor gathering space. The extension of first-floor ceramic and sculpture programs into the outdoor gathering space provides wind protection for the entry plaza while also harnessing southern solar exposure to optimize thermal comfort.
Within the structure, the modular design of floor plates allows for future infrastructure flexibility.
PROJECT TEAM:
Owner: City College of San Francisco
Construction Management: Kitchell
Contractor: Rudolph & Sletten
Architecture and Interiors: SmithGroup
Architecture - SBE Partner: Kuth Ranieri
Civil Engineering: BKF Engineering
Landscape: Creo Landscape Architect
Structural Engineering: Rutherford + Chekene
MEP Engineering: Decker Electric, California Electric Design, ACCO, SmithGroup (Basis of Design)
Code: H&S Associates
Fire Protection: SmithGroup
Fire Alarm: Pacific Auxilary Fire Co.
The vertical orientation of the windows minimizes glare and heat gain in classrooms while maximizing daylight and views and reinforcing a culture of belonging, orientation and safety. Daylight harvesting and creating visual connections to the outdoors have also been shown to improve learning outcomes and promote good mental health.
Laboratory Design: SmithGroup
Telecom/Security/Audio Visual: Smith, Fause & McDonald Inc.
Acoustics: Resonance Acoustics (CSDA)
Wind Tunnel: CPP Wind
Signage: Clearstory
“Using a custom, prefabricated exterior wall assembly increased installation efficiency and reduced waste from site fabrication,” added Katz.
Low-flow plumbing fixtures and sealed concrete floors further reduce waste and future replacement needs, and low-VOC and recycled products improve indoor air quality. All these strategies were developed to comply with CA Title 24 requirements, LEED Silver equivalent.
Construction Efficiencies
Creativity also came into play during the construction process, as the STEAM Building’s electrical and hydronic systems are fed from an occupied building adjacent to the project. The construction team needed to relocate the existing feeds due to a conflict with other adjacent construction projects. With close coordination with construction manager Kitchell, Rudolph + Sletten completed the relocation without major disruption to the occupied building or the overall construction schedule.
Another challenge was connecting the STEAM Building utilities to the permanent utility tie-in points to be installed as part of the lower reservoir development project. College officials were concerned that waiting for the future utility work associated with the lower reservoir development would negatively impact building operations. By identifying the issue early and closely coordinating with Kitchell, Rudolph + Sletten installed the permanent utilities as part of the STEAM Building project, eliminating operational utility impact.
MEP subcontractors ACCO Engineering and Decker Electric also played a vital role by providing accurate cost estimates for the numerous programming options presented to the client. This also allowed for the prompt pre-purchase of long-lead equipment, which kept the schedule on track.
transform high school learning by offering students opportunities for internships and externships.
“With the possibility of half the student body engaging in work-study or off-site externship experiences, students gain hands-on, real-world exposure to their chosen fields while still maintaining a connection to academic rigor,” Mariani said. “This approach allows students to apply classroom learning in dynamic work settings, helping them build the skills necessary for future success.”
Mariani added that the model ensures that students are not only prepared academically but are also equipped with the practical skills, professional networks, and confidence needed to thrive in the workforce. Personalized learning pathways through hybrid instruction and work-based learning prepare students for the demands of the future job market, ensuring that they are not just college-ready, but career-ready as well.
External hybrid learning seeks to create memorable and meaningful experiences that encourage students to make connections on multiple levels. By providing opportunities to link learning to real-life scenarios, student engagement and enthusiasm are enhanced. Leveraging proximity to local businesses and industries—as well as integrating them into the learning process—creates mutually beneficial outcomes. These partnerships can break down traditional learning barriers, cultivating a passion for lifelong learning.
When learning can happen anywhere, the role of the school building may change significantly. Many students will engage in hands-on practice through work-study or off-site apprenticeships, reducing seat demand. Imagine K-12 education adopting the “flipped” classroom model from higher education, where reading assignments and lectures are done as homework. In-person learning is reserved for discussion, exploration and simulation, positioning teachers as facilitators rather than knowledge sources. Purposeful work will require purposeful space, but much less of it, reducing the need for general classrooms. Flexible and adaptable spaces will be crucial. Flipped classrooms and externships together may lead to smaller facilities, while delivering higher quality education.
David L. Schrader, FAIA, A4LE Fellow, LEED AP, is managing partner of SCHRADERGROUP and a member of the School Construction News Editorial Advisory Board. Jennifer Grafton is the K-12 market segment leader for SCHRADERGROUP and has more than 25 years of experience in the industry designing educational environments.
“The CCSF STEAM project is an excellent example of a design-build that is done right,” said Mike Detata, senior preconstruction executive with Rudolph + Sletten. “True collaboration and transparency occurred between the client, the construction manager, the DBE team, the department heads and all the major subcontractors.” This partnership allowed the building to open on time for classes to begin in January 2025.
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For Learners and Community
Florence Roche Elementary School in Groton, Mass., incorporates Universal Design for Learning while reflecting the local landscape
By Lindsey Coulter
Building a new school is often a momentous occasion for a community, offering an opportunity to impact generations of students. Such was the case for Groton, Mass., which celebrated the grand opening of the new 110,000-square-foot, $72 million Florence Roche Elementary School (FRES) in March. The project supports an innovative approach to learning but also reflects and welcomes the entire Groton community.
FRES, designed by Studio G Architects of Boston, is one of a growing number of schools developed in accordance with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) tenets. The student-centered methodology prioritizes flexible learning environments that offer students multiple ways to engage with their course material and demonstrate their learning, while offering teachers flexibility in how they introduce information and shape lessons. This progressive approach is best delivered in dynamic spaces that offer students and educators room to think big, explore new learning materials and get a little messy.
Community-Minded Design
Bringing UDL to students and teachers at Florence Roche Elementary was one of multiple goals for the project. In addition to better accommodating students’ learning styles, school leaders also wanted to address the previous building’s shortcomings. For example, the old school lacked air conditioning and storage space, the gymnasium was undersized and there was no dedicated 1:1 breakout space for students in need of extra support. Most significantly, however, the building was not big enough to serve the community’s growing student population, forcing the district to send more than 100 students to a neighboring elementary school.
In contrast, the new FRES, which was supported by the Massachusetts School
Building Authority, is designed to serve 645 K-4 students. More than just a building, the environment fosters modern, flexible, and inclusive learning while serving as a microcosm of the larger Groton community: A tight-knit town that is proud of its walkable city center and is surrounded by miles of trails and lush woodlands. That sense of civic cohesion and organization provided design inspiration for FRES as well.
“Every time we design a building, we want it to have a story and organizing principles that help guide the decisions,” said Marylee Mercy, AIA, NCARB, ALEP, project architect at Studio G Architects. “As we got to know the district leaders, we learned that the way the town of Groton is arranged is very meaningful to them.”
As such, the Studio G team organized FRES to include its own “Town Center,” which includes the gymnasium, cafeteria and media center. Playing on the idea of trails, the team integrated pathways off of the central core leading students to areas dedicated to their specific grade levels. The pathways feature graphic abstractions of trees and leaves as well as color-coded trailhead markers and bark-like graphic textures as a nod to the school’s woodsy surroundings. The floor patterns use color to create stepping stones, which increase movement as students hop from square to square. These touches also give each space a sense of meaning within the larger school environment and community environment.
Right School, Right Scale
Studio G worked collaboratively with the Town of Groton, the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District, project manager Leftfield Project Management and construction manager Gilbane to deliver the complex project.
“This was a first-time experience for me in my 27-year career as an educator,” said Principal Brian Donoghue. “I can’t say enough positive things about the team. They were all excellent to work with.”
While it was clear that the school needed more space, school officials were cautious about overbuilding. In response, the project team worked hard to ensure that the building was properly scaled and ideally positioned within the site.
“We had to make this large school feel smaller, and the grade-level neighborhoods really accomplished that,” said Meryl Nistler, AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP, NCARB, senior project manager at Studio G. “Students are seeing the same teachers and fellow students every single day, and they’re moving through the building as a group.”
The site, an existing campus that also includes two middle schools and a community youth center, also informed the design. As FRES specifically serves younger learners, the new building was purposely set back from the street for increased safety, allowing space for the Studio G team to develop a welcoming front plaza flanked by dedicated bus and drop-off lanes.
“We really organized the building so that the community aspects—the cafeteria, the gym, the library—are all towards the front of the building and to be able to be accessed by the Groton community, so the building can be used after hours as well,” said Nistler.
Incorporating UDL
Studio G was also careful to balance that sense of community with a design that truly supports UDL methodology, which centers on how learning materials are presented, how students choose to learn, and how they choose to represent their
The school’s organization into grade-level “learning neighborhoods” creates a personalized, intimate environment for young students and promotes a sense of community. |
learning.
In seeking a designer for the project, FRES officials, including UDL pioneer Katie Novak, who at the time served as assistant superintendent, specifically sought firms with the ability to incorporate UDL tenets, ensuring that the physical space would meet the diverse needs of all learners and educators. The Studio G Architects team was eager for the creative challenge, watching Novak’s TED Talks, reading her research and diving deep into the methodology to deliver the best possible design solution.
“UDL is much more student focused,” Nistler explained. “For example, if the lesson is on the life cycle of a plant, the teacher might show videos, assign readings or lead small-group work. Then the students might choose to watch the video and then draw a picture of the plant or model it with clay. They have all learned the same material, but they can represent their learning in all these different ways. By being able to see each other’s work, it puts learning on display.”
To support this innovative approach, classrooms feature sinks and open shelves at child height, so teachers can put materials directly within reach of the students. Dedicated project areas that are available to all grade levels open to the main corridor, offering even more space and flexibility for class projects, messy science experiments or small-group breakout instruction. The first-floor project areas also have direct access to the outdoor learning area.
“Universal design really applies to any grade level, from preschool through higher education, but the younger a child is, the more they learn by experiencing the world,
Project areas open to the main corridor, offering extra space for class projects, messy science experiments or small-group breakout instruction.
hands-on activities, playing and getting messy,” Mercy said.
The school also features numerous touchscreen white boards that allow outside educators to join classes remotely, adding another dimension to learning even in the music and art rooms. Additionally, each classroom includes a microphone and speaker system to properly distribute sound through the space.
For all this movement and activity, the school is surprisingly quiet thanks to the inclusion of acoustic materials disguised as design features, such as curved perforated wood veneer ceiling panels backed with acoustic material to absorb sound.
A Neighborhood Approach
The school’s organization into grade-level “learning neighborhoods” also creates a personalized, intimate environment for young students, promotes a sense of community and makes the building feel welcoming and approachable.
“Each learning neighborhood is equipped with shared project areas, specialized pull-out spaces, and integrated special education supports,” said Mercy. “This approach fosters engagement, collaboration, and diverse expression, ensuring that all students can learn in a way that works best for them.”
The team was also conscious of just how much time both students and educators
Florence Roche Elementary School is one of a growing number of schools developed in accordance with Universal Design for Learning tenets.
Photo Credit (all): Greg Premru
The
spend in the building, designing for comfort and safety. For example, incorporating open toilet rooms with no entrance door (in the style of an airport) helps reduce bullying, while including large windows throughout supports biophilic design principles and improves educational outcomes by providing direct views to nature and sunlight.
“The bright and clean spaces are very inviting, and contribute to students feeling comfortable in the school,” said Donoghue. “The layout of classroom neighborhoods
make the memories for the future, because this is when the memories start being formed.”
While the team did get a few requests for a swimming pool and less realistic additions to the campus, many students shared things like a desire to be outside and the importance of play. The graphic feedback was an excellent exercise, helping the project team keep students and education at the center of decisionmaking.
with the accompanying special education spaces creates an efficient design that supports student success.”
The school’s mascot, Flo the giraffe, is also featured prominently through integrated graphics helping to demarcate the staircase, gym, music room, library and media center.
“There are these different moments throughout the building that create a location without saying ‘This is the music room. This is the art room,’” Nistler said. “It engages the kids to their level, whether they’re readers or not.”
Community Contributions
“When we do school projects, we want to get as much input from teachers and students as we can,” Mercy said. “Teachers are easy; students are sometimes tough if they’re especially young.”
To meet young learners on their level, Studio G developed worksheets where students could circle icons representing things they thought were important to the school. In a further nod to UDL, students could also draw their ideas.
“The artwork that came back was incredible,” Mercy said. “These students are so talented, and they put so much thought into it.”
“It’s amazing that just about anyone can remember a special childhood place that brings them joy,” Nistler said. “Maybe it’s a nook, a tree or a fort that they built. So, in these youthful spaces we try to translate those moments of joy into a space where we can
However, Studio G also had to creatively balance some community needs. The ideal location for the new building was behind the existing elementary school near a beloved running track. Rather than remove the community resource, the team relocated the track to an adjacent parcel. This thoughtful move made for a smoother construction process and helped gain community and financial support for the project.
Following the on-schedule delivery of the new elementary school, the Gilbane team maintained a presence onsite as the existing school was demolished to make way for new hardscape and landscape features.
“The students got to see our team in action and understood we helped construct their beautiful new building,” said Henry “Tripp” McElroy III, senior project executive with Gilbane Building Company. “To our team’s surprise, one afternoon members of the student body expressed their gratitude by presenting our team with drawings and thank you notes! This was incredibly rewarding ... as the entire team kept the best interest of the project stakeholders at the forefront of our minds.”
PROJECT TEAM:
Architect: Studio G Architects
Project Manager: Leftfield Project Management
Construction Manager: Gilbane
Civil Engineer, Environmental Planning: Samiotes
Landscape Architect: Terraink Inc.
Landscape Architect (Track): Huntress
Structural Engineer: Engineers Design Group Inc.
MEPFP Engineer: RW Sullivan
Geotech Engineering: Lahlaf Geotechnical Consulting Inc.
Geoenvironmental Engineering: CDW Consultants Inc.
Cost Estimator (Design Team): PM&C
Specifications: Kalin Associates Inc.
Code Consultant: Building, Fire & Access Inc.
Educational Planner: New Vista Design
Security/Tech/AV/Data: Vantage Technology Group
Sustainability: The Green Engineer Inc.
Kitchen, Food Service: Crabtree McGrath
Hazmat: EFI Global
Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment: Stefura Associates
Traffic: MDM Transportation Consultants Inc.
Door Hardware: Allegion PLC
Accessibility: KMA LLC
Acoustical: Acentech Inc.
Lighting: Light This!
The new 110,000-square-foot Florence Roche Elementary School in Groton, Mass., celebrated its grand opening in early March.
The new building was purposely set back from the street for increased safety.
school’s “Town Center” includes the gymnasium, cafeteria and media center.
Where to Buy Custom Color Surfacing Materials for Playgrounds
By No Fault Surfaces
Creating a safe and inclusive school playground is paramount for productive playtime. Custom color surfacing materials enhance a play area’s visual appeal and provide safety. Kids will look forward to recess and parents will appreciate having a safe place to take their children after hours.
Discover where you can buy custom color surfacing materials for playgrounds and explore factors to consider before partnering with a provider.
No Fault Surfaces
No Fault Surfaces has been providing safe and secure surfaces since 1974. It developed the first poured-in-place rubber safety flooring, making it one of the best customcolor surfacing materials providers for playgrounds. Almost all of the company’s products contain recycled materials, most of which are eligible for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits. Visit the No Fault Surfaces website to create your custom color blend of poured-in-place rubber flooring and have it sent along with your quote request.
KEY FEATURES:
· Offers two types of poured-in-place surfacing: ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV)
· Features a five-year warranty for poured-in-place floorings
· Enables choosing colors or getting recommendations from staff based on project specifications
· Provides long-lasting warranty coverage
· Requires minimal routine maintenance
Landscape Structures
Landscape Structures offers various playground items, from equipment to surfacing solutions. It has championed environmental stewardship since 1998. Its team understands that good design matters in play quality, allowing you to embed various colors and shapes into your desired surfacing material. Regardless of your playground size, expect to get a personalized approach throughout the entire process. Visit the Landscape Structures website to compare different flooring options
FlexGround
FlexGround is an International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association-certified (IPEMA) provider specializing in playground flooring, splash pads, athletic courts, recreational trails and aquatic parks. Its pouredin-place rubber safety surfacing can be customized with various patterns, colors and your school logo and is available in six types: standard, EnduraFlec, UltraFlex, Xtreme Playground, FlexPlay and FlexBond. Choose UltraFlex if quality is your main deciding factor, as its two-layer system can protect students using swings and high-impact playground equipment.
KEY FEATURES:
· Has six types of customizable poured-in-place options
· Offers a comprehensive color chart
· Designs playgrounds that create a threedimensional play experience for students
· Transforms flat surfaces into multilevel play experiences
Little Tikes Commercial
Consider Little Tikes Commercial if you’re building a school playground from scratch. You can buy custom color surfacing material and equipment for your play area that’s compliant with Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity in every project.
If you don’t know where to start, Little Tikes Commercial staff can guide you through the various surfacing options and their age-appropriateness. Custom color options are available for No Fault® Poured-in-Place surfacing, rubber tiles and rubber nuggets.
KEY FEATURES:
· Offers big sales
· Considers age-appropriateness when suggesting ideal surfacing materials
· Allows customization on various flooring materials
Play & Park Structures
KEY FEATURES:
· Offers loose fill and unitary surfacing
· Has color options and landscape features or hills for playground grass
· Provides a free site evaluation
· Employs professionals who can create interactive designs, provide on-site supervision and dedicate long-term support
Things to Consider When Choosing a Custom Color Surfacing Material
How do you know which surfacing material is right for your school? Here are some factors to consider before making a purchase.
Safety
Choose a provider that meets the fall protection standards of a certified playground safety inspector.
Ensure your chosen surfacing material is fully tested for various fall heights to reduce the risk of injuries among students.
Accessibility
The ADA states that playground surfacing options must accommodate all individuals, including those using crutches and wheelchairs. Look for a provider that meets or exceeds ADA’s regulatory standards.
Durability and Maintenance Needs
School playground surfacing must be durable to handle regular use and easy to maintain to reduce the spread of disease-causing germs.
Purposeful play is at the heart of Play & Park Structures, a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based playground equipment provider servicing schools, parks and recreation centers, faith-based institutions and landscape architects. It specializes in designing playgrounds to support early development and growth among preschoolers, making it an ideal option if your institution mainly caters to this age group. Among its surfacing material options, only poured rubber, shredded rubber and tile flooring allow customization.
Customization
KEY FEATURES:
· Prioritizes inclusive play
· Offers various thicknesses to provide your desired impact attenuation
· Lets you add logos and simple games like hopscotch and tic-tac-toe on poured-in-place rubber
Northwest Playground Equipment Inc.
KEY FEATURES:
· Champions sustainable practices in every project
· Has in-house, experienced designers to create your dream playground surfacing
· Offers 70 distinct color palettes and hundreds of color combinations
· Allows multiple surfacing types in a single playground
The family-owned business Northwest Playground Equipment has been providing playground since 1996. It has worked with various elementary schools, creating inclusive and ADA-compliant play areas. The company also works with manufacturers with LEED certifications to support your school’s sustainability efforts.
Safety tiles and poured-in-place rubber offer plenty of design and color options, allowing you to create an aesthetically pleasing play area for students.
Work with a company that can turn your vision into reality. Prioritize a provider with a design team that can help make your school playground visually appealing without compromising safety. Consider incorporating educational designs like alphabets, maps, numbers and interactive games to transform your play area into a learning space.
Choose the Best Custom Color Surfacing Materials Provider Today
This list will help you start your search for a reputable custom color surfacing manufacturer. Ensure you understand your options, consider immediate and longterm costs, and prioritize students’ safety to make an informed decision that serves your school community well.
The inclusive Red Oak Park Playground in Burnsville, Minn., welcomes kids of all abilities, offering thoughtfully designed play structures and surfacing materials.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of No Fault
Mountain America Jurassic Jungle in Lehi, Utah, is a dinosaur-themed indoor playground designed to engage, educate and excite visitors of all ages.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Soft Play
Hickory Lane Inclusive Playground in Jackson, Wis., includes surfacing materials that are reminiscent of a beach to complement the playground’s theme.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of No Fault
STANDOUTPRODUCTS SPOTLIGHT PRODUCT
Translucent Skylight
Adaptable Storage to Optimize Learning
When a school’s physical space is limited, Flexible Shelving from Spacesaver maximizes possibilities for libraries, common spaces and classrooms. Set on casters, the units can be moved and configured based on your current need and then easily adjusted and relocated to make room for the next. Exposed locking caster bases or concealed caster bases accommodate your desired style and function. Proudly manufactured in Wisconsin, Flexible Shelving can be configured with either Cantilever or 4-Post Shelving and comes in a wide range of sizes and finishes to fit your space.
Modular Workspace
The metal-framed translucent Daylight Series skylights from VELUX provide UV protection while meeting desired design aesthetics. The dry-glazed panel systems are available in translucent single- or double-multiwall polycarbonate options and diffuse light to create a naturally lit, glare-free environment. The series is available in a variety of standard sizes and offers a variety of architectural finishes with fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE) and polyester powder coatings, Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and anodized to meet American Architectural Manufacturers Association specifications. Copper cladding is also available
VELUX
www.veluxusa.com
Light-Weight Room Partition
Made by award-winning designers, LoftWall’s Buffer is a sustainable room divider made with minimal materials. The partition is available in nine steel base finishes and is offered in a plethora of material and frame colors to align with institutional branding. Additionally, the partition, which can be cleaned with healthcare-grade products, is tackable and offers sound-dampening benefits. The steel base plates are 100% recyclable, and the compatible aluminum insert is VOC free and is made from 75% recycled content. Multiple sizes are available.
LoftWall www.loftwall.com
As a part of its Acoustic Lounge collection, ROOM offers the “Solo,” a modular semiprivate workspace designed for multiple uses, from focused individual work to small-group collaboration. The seating unit features 59-inch vertical panels that dampen sound to reduce distraction and a built-in electrical system to keep devices fully powered. A spacious desktop is designed for comfort and convenience, and a smart storage compartment houses essentials. The Solo is available in a variety of colors from subtle to bold.
ROOM
www.room.com
Secure Modular Lockers
Aurora Storage Modular Lockers are designed to bring security, organization and ease into educational spaces. Offered in counter, desk or cafe heights and in a range of colors and dimensions, the locker system is available in single units or groupings based on client needs. They can also be grouped with the company’s Starter and Adder configurations to create locker banks. A safe space for personal belongings and important paperwork, the lockers help keep spaces orderly and organized. Locking options include lever handles, round handles and electronic keypad, and door options are available as leftor right-hand swings or perforated front doors.
Aurora Storage www.aurorastorage.com
A Revitalizing Renovation
West Valley College Learning Resource Center offers a strong foundation for building community and campus cohesion
By Lindsey Coulter
West Valley Community College’s Learning Resource Center is in the midst of a significant renovation. The 59,000-square-foot 1970s-era structure located in Saratoga, Calif., was originally built to house the college’s library, digital media center, recording studio and various support programs. However, the facility will soon become a true campus hub thanks to the design ingenuity of Anderson Brulé (ABA) Architects and Mark Cavagnero Associates (MCA) of San Francisco. The team has worked in equal partnership to transform the dark, dated structure into a bright, inspiring anchor for the campus’ northeast side.
The state-funded project also aims to build a stronger campus culture and sense of cohesion, driven by the shared vision to “Create a beacon for success and growth. A center for academic and professional advancement through collaborative exploration.”
Construction, completed by general contractor Swinerton with Kitchell serving as project manager, is ongoing, and substantial completion is anticipated by the end of April. The building is expected to open to students by the beginning of the fall 2025 semester.
Interior Revitalization
Given the building’s solid structure—which helped it withstand the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake—renovation, rather than new construction, offered a more sustainable and cost-effective solution for the college’s spatial and programmatic needs.
“The building made for a strong renovation platform; cantilevered columns and no interior braces or shear walls allowed for a lot of flexibility to reconfigure the interior,” said Jason Hull, AIA, LEED AP, associate principal and practice leader with ABA. “The entire structural system and bones of the building were retained and reinforced to make it more seismically safe.”
Despite its sturdy construction, however, the LRC was not equipped to house modern-day building systems, power infrastructure or technology. The original design also lacked sufficient restrooms, offered little natural light and navigation was often a challenge for users.
To address these issues, the building will receive upgraded technology and building systems, improved program spaces, and new furniture and finishes, providing a revitalized home for the library, digital media center, TV recording studio, writing center, makerspace, gaming studios, and various program spaces and resource areas. It will also receive two new faculty-centric interactive hubs.
A New Identity
With all of these different spaces, incorporating more direct wayfinding through interior design was a priority. Orientation was established via an avenue that runs from the new entryway into the library. Key services and resources are mostly located off of the avenue. The major gathering spaces that help to define the building’s interior include the library, success center, cafe and interactive hub, which are surrounded by classrooms and offices. Designers also integrated new meeting and collaboration areas, while retaining as much openness as possible.
Many of the interior nonstructural walls and related finishes and fixtures will be replaced to support the new organization of the
program. Seismically separated additions were designed for adding new programmatic space.
The building is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certified certification via highefficiency mechanical and lighting systems, improved envelope energy performance, and use of low -emitting materials and products.
Furnishings and Functionality
To create a greater sense of visual cohesion, the design team considered the exterior and interior holistically, selecting furniture and finishes infused with biophilic design principles as a reference to the building’s wooded surroundings. In contrast to the original monochrome palette, a blend of warm and cool palettes balanced with natural tones will differentiate active and quiet spaces while complementing the natural environment.
“In the main space of the library as well as in the entry court, we have beautiful wood ceilings,” said Ashly Vineyard, NCIDQ, project interior designer with ABA. “We also have linear and horizontal wood that bring a soft natural element, and the patterning in the carpet is inspired by lichen.”
Additionally, as the building was not designed to house complex modern power data, mechanical, plumbing and electrical infrastructure, the renovation will remove poles that were added to bring power from the ceiling plenum down to the library floor and casework. Instead, the power infrastructure will be integrated into the floor and furnishings.
Attention to the Exterior
The building’s exterior will also undergo revitalization. The existing solid façade is being replaced with extensive high-performance glazing that strengthens the connection between the interior and the wooded exterior landscape, while bringing light to the deep interior. Improvements to the facade and the addition of eight skylights and multiple solar tubes will increase daylight in the interior.
New vertical towers at the two primary
See Spotlight, page 25→
The existing solid façade is being replaced with extensive high-performance glazing that strengthens the connection between the interior and the wooded exterior landscape.
Photo Credit: MCA
The major gathering spaces that help to define the building’s interior include the library, success center, cafe and interactive hub, which are surrounded by classrooms, work rooms and offices. | Photo Credit: ABA
Transformation Is a Leadership Journey
By Jill Ackers and Courtney Sevigny
Transforming learning spaces is about more than updating furniture or redesigning classrooms—it’s about shifting mindsets, evolving leadership and creating shared language around how space supports learning. Listening to students, supporting teachers, communicating clearly, engaging in continuous learning and challenging the status quo create the conditions for meaningful transformation.
The most profound transformations happen when leaders evolve alongside their schools. In collaboration with fellow school leaders, teachers and students, five key lessons emerged about leading in an ever-changing environment shaped by furniture, flexibility and function.
Leadership Means Lifelong Learning in Dynamic Spaces
Author Maya Angelou’s words resonate in moments of uncertainty: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” Leadership is about modeling this mindset—acknowledging when something isn’t working and adjusting accordingly.
In flexible learning spaces, this means understanding how furniture choices impact engagement, accessibility and movement.
As a native Rhode Islander, Courtney Sevigny, ECLPS, learning environment specialist for VS America, likes to think of the administrator as the captain of a ship. In calm waters, the captain sets the course, guides the crew and delegates roles. In turbulent times, the captain rolls up their sleeves and adjusts the sails alongside the crew. Trust is built by engaging in real conversations, observing how space is used, and testing changes in response to student and teacher feedback.
Students Lead the Way When Space Supports Their Needs
Observing students in action offers invaluable insights. When given the right environments, they naturally demonstrate what supports their engagement and growth.
I will never forget walking into the learning commons and seeing students reclining while working on a writing assignment. My instinct was to correct their posture, but taking a moment to observe revealed something deeper—a preconceived idea about what learning “should” look like. That day, I learned a priceless lesson: Even forwardthinking leaders carry assumptions that could hinder growth.
The key is not allowing those ideas to dictate decision-making. Observe without judgment. When you do this, stories unfold that you might otherwise miss—a reluctant writer filling an entire writable tabletop with prewriting, a student calmly working while perched on a wobble stool or a group naturally shifting desks to collaborate.
Supporting Teachers as Learners in New Spaces
Teachers benefit from clear support in navigating dynamic environments. Traditional classroom design often dictates rigid instruction—introducing adaptable learning spaces means shifting instructional practices.
Professional learning that includes hands-on engagement with flexible furniture, realworld scenarios and practical experimentation fosters confidence.
James D’Amico, principal at New Fairfield High School in New Fairfield, Conn., reflected on the shift in leadership within a transformed school space.
“In the previous building, hallways were lined with closed doors, limiting interactions. Now, in more open and adaptable spaces, I see learning in action,” D’Amico said. “Happy collisions happen naturally, teachers move beyond their classrooms and I engage with students in ways that weren’t possible before. It’s not just the learning spaces—the office spaces are more open too. There’s more dialogue. There’s more collaboration.”
Some staff embrace these changes quickly, while others take time. Regular conversations, feedback, and ongoing professional learning support teachers in rethinking how furniture, movement and spatial planning enhance instruction.
Clear Expectations and Communication Build a Shared Vision
Transitions work best when there is alignment between leadership, teachers and students.
One guiding question anchors decision-making: Is this best for students?
When the answer is yes, staying the course strengthens implementation. When uncertainty arises, observing how students and teachers interact with the space offers insight.
COMMUNICATING EXPECTATIONS BUILDS CONFIDENCE:
· Helping students articulate why flexible spaces support collaboration and independence gives them ownership.
· Encouraging teachers to discuss how different furniture configurations support specific instructional goals fosters shared learning.
· Keeping the larger school community informed about why space changes matter strengthens long-term support.
Frequent communication ensures everyone is invested in how space shapes learning.
Ask ‘Why Not?’ When Rethinking Learning Environments
RESISTANCE OFTEN EMERGES WHEN CHANGING THE WAY SPACE IS USED:
· Why do students need flexible seating?
· Why should furniture be mobile?
· Why are students encouraged to move?
Instead, the better question is: Why not?
If something has always been done a certain way, what possibilities emerge when trying something new?
At Eden Park School, we introduced cross-grade homerooms to foster relationships and social-emotional skills, a Boost Block for personalized learning and redesigned spaces that encouraged movement. Initially, logistical challenges surfaced, but by asking “Why not?” we stayed committed to the vision—and the results were transformative.
Engaged students, intentional furniture use, deeper teacher collaboration and stronger learning experiences all emerged.
The Leadership Question: Are You Ready to Lead the Change?
The most successful transformations happen not because furniture was purchased, but because leaders, teachers and students built a shared understanding of how space enhances learning.
Leadership in adaptive environments is about fostering curiosity, aligning vision with space and creating conditions for continuous improvement. When spaces evolve, leadership evolves.
Jill Ackers, ALEP, is director of education for VS America.
Courtney Sevigny, ECLPS, is a learning environment specialist for VS America
About VS America
VS America Inc. is a leading manufacturer of educational furniture for K-12 schools, colleges and libraries. Focused on best practices for educational facilities worldwide, VS develops adaptable, ergonomic and sustainable furniture solutions which allow for the creation of agile learning environments. For more information, visit www.vsamerica.com.
VS America partnered with Hudson Falls High School in Hudson Fall, N.Y. | Photo Credit (all): Courtesy of VS America
Leaders and educators at New Fairfield High School in New Fairfield, Conn.
Students use VS America seating at Hudson Falls Intermediate School in Hudson Falls, N.Y.
The new campuses include a high school, a K-8 school, an early learning center and a state-of-the-art athletic facility to accommodate
Building the Villages Charter School Middleton Educational Hub
Inside the 600,000 square foot high school, K-8 school and early learning center expansion project
By Ryan Strandquest and J. David Torbert, AIA
The developer that created the vision for Florida’s Friendliest Hometown, The Villages, expanded its vision for Central Florida by creating a new community for a younger population called Middleton. Within this new community are three new campuses for The Villages Charter School (TVCS), created specifically for children of qualified employees of The Villages and employment partners. The new campuses include a high school, a K-8 school, an early learning center and a state-of-the-art athletic facility to accommodate the children of this expanding employee base.
Growing Educational Needs
TVCS, established in 2000, is a shining example of public charter school success in Florida, earning 19 consecutive “A” grades from the Florida Department of Education and the “Cognia School and Systems of Distinction” award.
When TVCS needed additional capacity due to an expanding student base, it sought a designer team that could capture its vision, meet the school’s opening deadlines, and design three distinct campuses that fit within the constraints of a new master-planned community.
The Project Team
Constructing the extensive project within a community that was also under construction presented a challenge, intensified by the critical need to coordinate with the construction teams for everything from roadways and utilities to residential and community spaces. In addition, TVCS Middleton campus required a focus on student-centered design, sustainability, storm resilience, state-of-the-art features and outdoor learning spaces. As part of this effort, Matern Professional Engineering of Maitland, Fla.—which managed mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire-protection building systems for the project—and architect Schenkel Shultz of Winter Park, Fla., collaborated with The Villages developer and other design and construction partners to create the campuses.
Led by Schenkel Shultz, the design team envisioned an educational environment that respected the master plan of Middleton while simultaneously planning for TVCS’ growth for decades to come. Matern Professional Engineering prioritized safety, functionality, and resiliency in designing the building systems to ensure lasting functionality.
A Cutting-Edge Campus
Inspired by collegiate campuses, the new charter high school epitomizes 21st century learning. Spanning 383,961 square feet, the school includes advanced classrooms, career and technical education programs, cutting-edge technology, flexible learning spaces, and STEM labs tailored for science, business, banking administration, construction, engineering, theater and dance.
Positioned as a pivotal anchor, the three seamlessly connected campuses create a strong sense of community and a path toward knowledge. The second-story Media Center takes in broad views of the adjacent town center, while incorporating state-ofthe-art technology and furniture that caters to college-bound students. The school’s Performing Arts Academy is home to the Tracy Performing Arts Center and the Encore at The Tracy Theater, where both students and community members can enjoy the arts. The Athletic Complex serves as a shared space, offering a main gym, annex courts, a wrestling room and a weight room. The campus also features an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a 4,000-seat football stadium, baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, practice fields and a golf putting green. Inside the facility is a main arena with seating for 1,200 guests and two full-length basketball courts, along with an auxiliary gym that can seat 1,100 and accommodate four additional courts. The facility provides an elevated and inclusive environment for athletic events and competitions statewide. Local, state, and national teams utilize the collegiate-grade athletic facilities throughout the seasons, making the campus an athletic destination for Central Florida.
Modern K-8 Facilities
In addition to the high school, a compact K-8 school incorporates adaptive and community-centric spaces. The 247,946-square-foot school’s design thoughtfully integrates with the regional surroundings, while fostering an atmosphere of inclusivity,
warmth and community-based learning. At the heart of the school lies a cutting-edge hub designed to foster collaboration, with a special emphasis on the liberal arts. This dynamic outdoor space is divided into three distinct areas: Discovery, encouraging exploration and the expansion of knowledge; Collaborative, where teamwork and cooperation thrive; and Fun, celebrating creativity and enjoyment. A multi-functional courtyard is designed to accommodate outdoor dining and community events.
Five vertical light wells and custom graphics that evolve in sophistication as students move from elementary to middle school enhance the campus. Meanwhile, learning is enhanced by integrating technology in both indoor and outdoor settings, as each classroom is equipped with computers and interactive projector screens to create a dynamic, interactive learning environment. The gymnasium features three full-size courts, allowing for grade separation during athletic events, and includes an elevated stage for performances. With outdoor foodto-table learning gardens and abundant natural daylight, the design prioritizes energy efficiency and locally sourced materials. LowVOC specifications further contribute to the sustainable ethos of the building.
General Contractors:
High School and Sports Complex: Wharton Smith, Sanford, Fla. K-8 School: Clancy & Theys, Winter Garden, Fla. Early Learning Center: Wiechens Construction, Wildwood, Fla.
A Nurturing Beginning
The Early Childhood Learning Center prioritizes the cognitive, social and emotional development of young learners, creating a safe and secure environment that fosters a strong sense of home for children ages one to four. The center contains inventive classrooms with breakout play spaces that prioritize the holistic development of young learners by fostering their cognitive, social and emotional well-being. Through the strategic use of natural light, a garden creates a welcoming atmosphere that strengthens the students’ connection to nature. The academic spaces include classrooms for more than 300 students, featuring interactive displays and touchscreens. The center also includes an outdoor pavilion, play courts, a playground, a tike track and an outdoor garden where children learn to cultivate essential interpersonal skills.
Engineering Expertise
The building system design had to extend beyond life-cycle cost analysis, efficiency and maintenance. The aesthetics, both inside and out, were a key component to creating the spaces that blend the campuses into the Middleton master plan. Unique design initiatives included disguising building system components in large windowfilled atriums and common spaces so as not to detract from the architectural vision, yet maintain proper ambiance, humidity levels and indoor air quality.
The emergency systems include the contingency of Florida’s inclement weather and fierce storms, which often result in power outages. Mechanical systems are required to perform for the student population as well as to accommodate larger crowds in smaller spaces when theatre and athletic events occur. The athletic facilities include lightning warnings to alert everyone in the area to find shelter.
Matern Professional Engineering also developed innovative engineering solutions that optimally function, extend the life of the buildings, offer a healthy, safe space for occupants and meet the high standards TCVS is known for.
TVCS in Middleton exemplifies the importance of collaborative teamwork between engineers, architects, construction partners, school administrators and civic leaders in meeting the evolving needs of a rapidly growing student population. By designing with growth in mind, these schools offer a thriving future for both the students and the community as a whole. Construction on the final campus components was completed in December 2024.
Ryan Strandquest is president of Matern Professional Engineering. He can be reached at rstrandquest@matern.net.
J. David Torbert is a partner at Schenkel Shultz. He can be reached at jdtorbert@schenkelshultz.com.
the children of the Villages employees. | Photo Credit: Schenkel Shultz and Chad Baumer
A Home for Arts, Equity and Justice
The 58,000-square-foot Bezdek Center for the Performing Arts will house state-of-the-art learning, performance and rehearsal spaces as well as the school’s Equity & Justice Institute
By Fay Harvey
Crossroads School for Art and Sciences, a college preparatory school in Santa Monica, Calif., offers progressive education that fosters students’ artistic achievement. To further support creative expression, the school is nearing completion of the Bezdek Center for the Performing Arts. The new 58,000-square-foot facility will house state-of-the-art learning, performance and rehearsal spaces as well as the school’s Equity & Justice Institute.
The center was designed by Los Angeles-based architectural firm Studio Pali Fekete Architects (SPF:a) and led by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA, design principal, and co-founder. The firm is well versed in performing arts
An additional design challenge was centralizing the fragmented performing arts facilities into a cohesive 55,000-square-foot building while preserving the spirit of the site’s industrial heritage. To achieve this goal, the firm designed a structurally straightforward building with a network of practice rooms, rehearsal spaces and seminar rooms. The space more than quadruples theatre seating, as the new Stern Family Theater will offer space for 650 attendees. A new flexible-use open-air lobby connects to the smaller 100-seat performance space, which will host rehearsals and more intimate events. Supporting these spaces are a multipurpose filmmaking classroom, practice spaces, music classrooms, ample storage areas, and an
elements, creating a cohesive design that respects the past while looking forward to the future.
“These elements together create a visually striking facade that both honors the site’s industrial past and symbolizes the artistic activities within,” Pali said.
The new courtyard will serve as a dynamic hub, connecting the Bezdek Center with the surrounding campus. The open-air space encourages community interaction and embodies the collaborative spirit of the performing arts while maintaining the industrial and creative heritage of the school. Other exterior expansions include the development of the courtyard lobby and the addition of 39 parking spaces. A rooftop solar
projects, having also completed design work for the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and the renovation of the Pantages Theatre, both in Los Angeles. Douglass Design + Build of Thousand Oaks, Calif., was selected to construct the project and broke ground in 2024.
Beginnings of the Bezdek Center
When project development began in 2019, SPF:a envisioned a series of technically refined spaces that open to a sleek courtyard. As the Covid-19 pandemic began, however, the design-build team—which also included audiovisual engineering and installation company AMT Systems Inc. of Santa Clarita, Calif., and LA Propoint of Sun Valley, Calif., for theatre infrastructure expertise— adapted to shifting conditions to ensure the project’s successful completion.
After decades of growth, the need for a bigger, better and more flexible space dedicated to performing arts and programming was obvious. The previous space was undersized given the school needs and didn’t sufficiently reflect the forward-thinking instruction or the creative talent of the students. The simple performance spaces offered seating for just 110 spectators and lacked wings, fly space and dressing rooms. With no official lobby, the outside courtyard was the only available gathering place for students and event attendees. Storage space was also minimal, and classrooms and performance and administrative spaces were bulging with set pieces and instruments.
Construction and Design
The site was a determining factor for many structural aspects of the project, including the placement of the main theater. To accommodate height restrictions, designers positioned the stage fly—a mechanical rope system necessary for stage changes and curtain control— at the lower end of the site to slope upward from north to south. Additionally, the stage floor will be aligned with the side alley, eliminating the need for ramps and lifts.
electronic music and recording studio.
“Programmatically, our design attempts to fit into and preserve the spirit of the industrial use prevalent in the site’s history,” Pali said. “We centralized the activity of the current fragmented performing arts facilities into one highly rational and structurally simple expression.”
The building’s simple interior color palette will match the required acoustic materials, which are constructed with gypsum board and pre-finished plywood to create acoustic ‘shaping,’ working in tandem with variable acoustic drapery to create optimal sound quality for music, film and spoken-word presentations.
While the programmatic requirements and adjacencies are governed by functionality and simplicity, the building’s identity is more literally expressed in its form. On the exterior, the venue evokes the spirit of the performing arts through materiality and design. Via white plaster carve-outs, the building plays with the abstract shapes of musical instruments—including the body of a violin, the bell of a trumpet and the neck of the guitar—
photovoltaic array will optimize energy use through a design that goes beyond code requirements for additional sustainability.
The Equity & Justice Institute
Also included in the project is the Equity & Justice Institute. This dedicated space within the Bezdek Center complements the performing arts elements by fostering an environment of inclusivity and community engagement. Design-wise, it is integrated seamlessly among the performing arts spaces. Programmatically, the Institute will utilize the building’s versatile spaces for performances, lectures and workshops, enhancing the educational and cultural experiences of both students and the broader community. The Equity & Justice Institute will also receive a dedicated seminar room.
Completion of the Bezdek Center for the Performing Arts is anticipated for early 2026. The project was named for trustee and donor Trevor Bezdek and his wife Jana Bezdek.
Dark bronze corrugated aluminum panels mimic stage curtains while also echoing the texture of the area’s historic industrial buildings.
The space more than quadruples theatre seating, as the new Stern Family Theater will offer space for 650 attendees.
Photo Credit (all): SPF:a
A smaller 100-seat performance space will host rehearsals and more intimate events.
The Equity & Justice Institute will utilize the building’s versatile spaces for performances, lectures and workshops and will receive a dedicated seminar room.
Designing Play Spaces for All Expert Jill Moore on the value of play and how to build accessibility and inclusivity into any project
By Lindsey Coulter
Jill Moore is an inclusive play specialist with Landscape Structures, a playground manufacturer based in Delano, Minn. She is also a wheelchair user who uses her lived experiences to help develop more innovative, informed and inclusive playground designs. Or rather, she’s used her childhood experience of not being able to access and enjoy most playgrounds to be an advocate for spaces that welcome all.
“When we build for inclusion, we’re saying who we value,” Moore said. “When I see an inclusive playground, I feel welcome there. Someone has thought of me and decided that I matter and have something to add.”
Moore has worked on projects of all sizes across the country for schools as well as communities, including the world’s largest inclusive playground, Park Circle in Charleston, S.C. She helps clients to consider play structures and equipment as well as who they are designing for and what play opportunities would best align with their community’s needs.
Moore spoke with School Construction News about what makes for a successful project, how clients can shift their approaches to make spaces even more welcoming and the common recommendations that can help any play space be more inclusive.
Is there a general definition or criteria for what makes a play area or play equipment accessible and inclusive?
MOORE: Yes and no. The ADA guidelines for children’s play spaces were written in 2000, and in 2010 those guidelines became law, but they are the bare minimum. We’ve never really defined inclusion with a check box, because as soon as you give it a check box people adhere to the minimum. For example, inclusive playground design for me could look very different from inclusive design for a child with autism. While there is no official governing body that is giving a stamp of approval, there are a ton of best practices that designers can use to make a playground inclusive.
Historically, how have play spaces inadvertently excluded children with disabilities?
MOORE: Even after ADA compliance you could go to an ADA-compliant play space, and someone like me wouldn’t necessarily be able to do anything on that playground. For example, Engineered Wood Fiber is considered “accessible”, but maneuvering a wheelchair through it is impossible, as loose-fill materials are hard to push through. So, it’s considering how a kid moves
through a space; if they use their energy just to navigate the playground rather than actually playing on it. It’s considering children who use mobility devices, but it goes much further. For example, playgrounds are usually loud, busy places with lots of sensory stimulation and sometimes complex play components that require a lot of motor coordination. This could exclude kids with autism or ADHD who are easily overstimulated, are working on their motor coordination or are developing those skills at a different pace.
Why is it important to shift away from the medical model of disability and toward the social model?
MOORE: The medical model of disability puts all the fault on the user. If we build exclusively, we’re saying ‘It’s your fault you can’t access this due your needs and abilities being different or more complex.’
In the social model, however, we’re saying it’s the environment that needs to change so that you can be your best self. When I was a kid I hated the playground, but there was a massive difference between my peers not wanting to play with me and me not being able to play. The social model says everyone is meant to be here; it doesn’t blame anyone or call them out for whatever their needs may be.
How can inclusive play spaces benefit all users?
MOORE: It’s hard to pinpoint what “inclusive” means because everyone needs different things. When you say “inclusive design” most people assume that means designing for people with disabilities, but we’re designing for everyone because play is important for everyone. That’s where we learn fundamental cognitive, physical, sensory and social skills. When we climb on things, use our muscles, run around, push on things—which are all so inherent to play—we are developing sensory systems that allow us to also do things like cut construction paper, open doors and communicate. When we spin or swing or engage in motion, we’re developing our sense of movement and bodily awareness. We need those fundamentals if we’re going to be successful with day-today life and activities.
What are some immediate and cost-effective ways that clients can redevelop or renovate existing play spaces to be more inclusive?
MOORE: The best thing to do is get a clear understanding of who you’re designing for and who you are serving. You might not need to spend money on a ramp if your ability demographic isn’t as focused on
physical disabilities, but you could include a climbing device with different skill-level routes that would meet a variety of needs—or a spinner to provide regulation for a child who seeks out that sensory experience.
Anchorage Alaska’s State of Play initiative is a helpful example. It’s a methodology for becoming a more inclusive park system that rated all public parks, Level 1 is the most inclusive and Level 4 is for play spaces that didn’t even meet ADA standards. They tackled the list over time, and from 2006 through now, they’ve become a really inclusive parks system through retrofits, phasing, adding inclusive features as budget allows, etc.
How do you see students of all abilities react to and engage with these more inclusive play spaces?
MOORE: Within the disabled community, there is this ethos of “nothing about us without us.” We cannot design for disabled individuals without bringing them into the process. So, at Landscape Structures we bring in kids with disabilities to test our products. They give us the good, the bad and the ugly. We brought one kid in who did an incredible job of talking about how kids with disabilities shouldn’t be sidelined and how incredible it feels to look at a playground and feel welcomed there. What are some upcoming trends related to inclusive play spaces?
MOORE: A big trend is giving users more choice. For example, instead of wheelchair swings, which often aren’t ADA compliant and have to be partitioned off in their own area so they don’t injure another child, we have the WeGo-Swing where everyone can swing together. Or the We-Go-Round that’s an inclusive spinner for children who seek more motion and thrill.
On the sensory side, we talk a lot about regulation and the ability to keep our nervous systems happy. So that’s why you see more activities that kids can do on their own as well as cozy or shady pieces of equipment where they can have a quiet space to selfregulate before reengaging with play.
Why is this work important to you?
MOORE: When I started this job, I didn’t really know anything about playgrounds because I had never been to them. It was a hard thing to advocate for when it was something I had been excluded from my entire life. There was a grieving process in understanding what I had lost, but it sparked a fire. I realized how big and incredible play is and the power of inclusion. Everyone deserves to feel welcome and invited to play. Play is life changing, and that shouldn’t exclude anyone.
Moore has worked on projects of all sizes across the country for schools as well as communities, including the world’s largest inclusive playground, Park Circle in Charleston, S.C.
Photo Credit: Landscape Structures
The company’s We-Go-Round is an inclusive spinner for children who seek more motion and thrill.
Photo Credit: Mike Bigalke
A Symbol Communication Sign includes pictures representing nouns, verbs, feelings, activities and more.
Photo Credit: Landscape Structures
Harnessing Natural Daylight for Sustainable and Inclusive School Design
By Neall Digert, Ph.D., MIES
As educational institutions strive to create healthier, more energy-efficient and student-centered learning environments, natural daylighting has emerged as a key design strategy that supports sustainable and inclusive learning design. A well-planned daylighting strategy offers numerous sustainability benefits and can enhance key design principles that are shaping the future of educational spaces
The Benefits of Sustainable School Design
Healthier Indoor Environments
Sustainable school design creates healthier learning environments by improving indoor air quality, natural ventilation and daylighting. High-efficiency ventilation systems filter out airborne pollutants, while sustainable materials and finishes reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.
Natural daylight, a critical element of healthy indoor spaces, offers a dynamic lighting alternative to static electric lighting solutions, which can adversely affect the building occupants’ mood, sleep patterns and overall well-being. The daily progression from darkness to physiologically meaningful dynamic daylight and back supports the body’s time-dependent production of serotonin and melatonin, enhancing mood regulation, attention span and overall student engagement.
Recent discoveries about intrinsically photosensitive
Research from the Lighting Research Center (LRC) and other academic institutions shows that exposure to natural daylight in classrooms enhances cognitive function, improves memory retention and reduces stress and fatigue. In fact, a study by the Heschong Mahone Group revealed that students in naturally daylit classrooms advanced 20% faster in math and 26% faster in
daylighting, schools can lower energy consumption, reduce emissions and create healthier learning environments.
A well-designed daylighting system reduces reliance on electric lighting, which can account for 35% to 50% of a school’s annual energy use. Daylight has a higher efficacy factor compared to electric lighting, providing more light
reading compared to those in environments with limited daylight. Additional studies indicate that classrooms with optimized natural daylighting contribute to increased
with less heat. As a result, maximizing daylight can lower cooling demands by up to 15%, easing the load on HVAC systems, and can reduce electric lighting consumption
K-12 schools spend roughly $8 billion annually on energy and emit approximately 72 million metric tons of CO₂—equivalent to 18 coal-fired power plants per year—according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) have further underscored the importance of daylight as a source for interior space illumination. These cells play a vital role in regulating circadian rhythms, paving the way for evidence-based daylighting design strategies. By integrating these insights with modern architectural and engineering principles, sustainable schools are better equipped to optimize learning environments.
Higher Attendance and Teacher-Retention Rates
Sustainable school design not only creates healthier learning environments—it also boosts attendance and teacher retention. A survey of 665 industry executives revealed that more than 70% of respondents saw reduced absenteeism and improved performance in green schools. Complementing this, a nationwide survey found that nearly all teachers (97%) consider effective learning environment design essential for student success, with 80% linking it to effective teaching and 68% factoring it into job decisions.
Key features—such as improved indoor air quality, reduced chemical emissions, abundant natural daylight and better humidity control—yield environmental, fiscal and health benefits. These advantages lead to lower absenteeism, reduced turnover and enhanced performance, with a 2011 study showing up to 7.5% improvement in attendance and an 8% to 19% boost in student performance when compared to conventional schools.
Improved Student Performance and Test Scores
The relationship between sustainable school design and academic performance is also well documented.
productivity, better concentration and higher overall academic achievement.
Reduced Environmental Impact
K-12 schools spend roughly $8 billion annually on energy and emit approximately 72 million metric tons of CO2—equivalent to 18 coal-fired power plants per year—according to the U.S. Department of Energy. By adopting sustainable design strategies, especially natural
by up to 80%. These energy efficiencies translate into significant cost savings and a reduced environmental footprint.
Lower Operating Costs
Lastly, schools designed with sustainability in mind benefit from significantly lower long-term operational costs. High-performance buildings utilize strategies such as natural ventilation, enhanced insulation and geothermal heating to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency. According to the US Green Building Council (USGBC), green schools, on average, use 33% less energy and 32% less water than their conventional counterparts, saving roughly $100,000 per year in direct operating costs.
Natural Daylighting and Sustainable Design Principles
Natural daylighting is a fundamental element of sustainable school design that aligns with key architectural principles, ensuring learning environments support student wellness, inclusivity and environmental responsibility.
Biophilic Design: Enhancing Connection to Nature
Biophilic design integrates natural elements into built environments to foster well-being, reduce stress and improve cognitive function. Natural daylighting is one of the most effective passive biophilic strategies, creating visually stimulating, naturally lit spaces that strengthen students’ connection to the outdoors.
The ASU Student Pavilion at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., features a combination of natural daylighting solutions, renewable energy sources and flexible learning spaces. | Photo Credit: Solatube International
Vision glazing at Grover Cleveland High School incorporated translucent polycarbonate canopies, landscaped courtyards and a central quad, creating an environment that fosters collaboration, social interaction and engagement with the outdoors. | Photo Credit: Kingspan Light + Air
8 Higher Education Interior Trends
By Megan Marsh
As education methods and types of spaces evolve, CO Architects is continually exploring emerging trends shaping the future of interiors in higher education. Our challenge as architects and interior designers is to create university environments that foster community, places that support collaboration, encourage interactions among people with varying points of view and forge human bonds. These key trends are important design elements shaping the future of higher education.
1. Flexibility
In an era where everyone must do more with less, flexible design solutions ensure that universities utilize spaces to their full potential. Flexible spaces and furniture that adapt to the future of education are a growing trend. Clients are also increasingly requesting agile spaces that are equipped to respond to various technologies and experiential needs. Many of our projects include movable partitions that allow classrooms to expand as well as large gathering areas that can be reconfigured to host various event types and group sizes, such as lectures, graduation ceremonies and TED Talks.
Designers are now combining business, education, and leisure in blended-use spaces instead of programming them separately for work or gathering. Co-mingling increases occupancy through varying uses throughout the day. Movable, versatile furniture is a vital aspect of space flexibility. Foldable and stackable furniture with integrated storage allows for quick reconfiguration for different activities.
2. Tech-Enabled Spaces
A corollary of flexible design is integrating current technology into campuses for both new buildings and modernizations of older ones to ensure longevity and relevancy. Examples include integrating Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to enrich students’ campus and education experiences. The evolution of higher education design to focus on technology-driven learning environments as technology-enhanced spaces like AR and VR labs help make complex concepts easier to understand.
Other features routinely included are interactive smartboards, video-conferencing tools and other collaborative software as well as podcast rooms and recording studios for professors to professionally record lectures for hybrid learning, meeting current teaching needs but also accelerating new teaching methodologies.
3. Neurodiversity
Recognizing that students learn in a wide variety of ways, universities are becoming more accommodating to a range of cognitive and sensory preferences. Designs ensure that a choice of sensory environments is provided, in order to cater to diverse learning styles and needs. This can include a variety of study, learning and meeting environments, providing dimmable lighting and a range of color palettes. Collaboration areas vary from brighter rooms with plenty of natural light, to darker rooms with soft lighting as well as a range of visual and acoustical privacy elements. A mix of furniture types adds additional choices, allowing students to choose based on how they’re feeling at any given time.
4. Community-Fostering
The overall square footage in the education sector has remained relatively stable. However, space allocation has shifted toward slightly smaller private offices for faculty and an increase in flexible, shared workspaces or hybrid work models for faculty and staff.
This decrease in private workspaces is offset by a significant increase in public and community-life spaces, such as larger common areas, student lounges, collaboration zones and wellness facilities. Spaces that prioritize social interaction, support student well-being, and enhance campus life reflect a shift toward more communal, multifunctional environments within educational buildings.
5. Local Outreach
Higher education design increasingly considers and embraces the neighboring community. Multi-modal lecture spaces are often designed to also host community events, drawing residents onto campuses. Design details regularly embrace local influences and neighborhood history. Art installations often draw inspiration from the site surroundings and sometimes showcase the work of local artisans.
6. Wellness
Higher education institutions are looking to enhance student and faculty well-being. Environments that support mental wellness are growing in demand. Responsive design trends include ensuring equitable access to natural daylight and fresh air. Additionally, we are creating more spaces that promote social-emotional wellbeing, such as wellness rooms, student-counselor/advisor spaces and private respite areas.
Stairway design can also encourage physical activity. In contrast to claustrophobic, artificially lit stairwells, stairs can be focal points that attract users, featuring scenic views and leveraging the use of natural light whenever possible. Nooks for individual study or collaboration expand stairs beyond traditional points of transition.
7. Outdoor Learning
The outdoors, the building and the interiors are integrally related, so designers can apply many of the same philosophies to outdoor and indoor environments. Both outdoor and indoor spaces can fulfill institutions’ desire for places that accommodate both relaxation and learning. Spending time in the natural environment supports overall wellness as well as mental health.
Outdoor learning also continues to grow, with more multi-modal outdoor spaces that support collaboration and incorporate technology, making these areas as dynamic and versatile as indoor classrooms. Design features include durable furniture, attention to acoustics and privacy to separate learning spaces from public areas and balancing daylight and shade.
8. Sustainability
Natural materials are a vital part of healthy environments. Whenever possible, designers should seek products and furnishings that are low-VOC, are on the chemicals-free Red List and are made from recycled material. Designers can educate clients about the benefits these products have on the occupants’ well-being—and how natural materials are often more durable than composite ones. They should also provide back-up documentation to facilities and maintenance decision-makers to show that higher initial costs are eventually recovered by reduced maintenance and longer product lifespans.
Finally, another emerging trend in sustainability is upcycling. Furnishings suppliers are refurbishing used systems such as workstations by salvaging the structure and repairing finishes and updating fabrics. CO Architects is tracking this trend, anticipating inventory and options to steadily increase.
Megan Marsh is a senior interior designer and senior associate in the Los Angeles office of CO Architects.
Loyola Marymount University’s Life Sciences Building offers exterior learning and social space.
Flexibility is a predominant design trend in higher education interiors.
Arizona State University’s Health Futures Center features an “in the round” auditorium.
The University of Arizona Health Sciences Innovation Building Forum doubles as a venue.
The black-box Simulation Deck in the University of Arizona’s HSIB integrates cutting-edge medical simulation technology in a space influenced by the Grey’s Anatomy soundstage set.
|Photo Credit (all): Bill Timmerman, Courtesy CO Architects
In the Zone: Wellness rooms and calming corners
By Debra Kolesar, NCIDQ
As the world evolves and new stressors are introduced to student lives, learning spaces must also evolve to provide the best support. Wellness rooms, calming corners, or quiet zones are designed to enhance the student learning experience, particularly for students impacted by trauma or with emotional needs as well as those who require diverse spaces to remain engaged. These calming zones are essentially safe spaces for students who benefit from an alternative to traditional education environments, allowing for more flexible learning by providing a quiet, comfortable space for students to reset when they’re feeling energized, anxious or overwhelmed.
The Need for Wellness Spaces
Students face a variety of stressors brought on by social or academic challenges, home contexts, or other factors, which are often exacerbated by social media and can impact a student’s overall wellbeing and academic success. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health concerns in students have only worsened. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, as of April 2022, 69% of public schools reported an increase in mental health concerns among their students.
A designated space for reflection and relaxation such as wellness spaces or calming corners can help foster a more positive and focused learning environment. Incorporating these spaces into learning environments can lead to decreased negative behavior, improved overall mental health and more empowered students by providing opportunities for students to self-regulate.
Every school is different in how leaders approach student wellbeing. This can vary due to access to resources. However, whether a school offers mental health resources or not, it’s clear that student wellbeing is a high priority for every school, administrator, teacher and counselor.
Key Elements for Effective Calming Spaces
There are various elements to consider when designing effective calming spaces in schools, from location and furniture to lighting and technology.
Within the classroom, calming corners are being integrated by creating a quieter area separate from where instruction takes place with soft seating options or privacy chairs. Soft seating options provide a sense of comfort and help regulate emotion, while privacy chairs offer acoustical privacy and aid in concentration, helping instill a sense of calm.
Both privacy chairs and reconfigurable or modular furniture accommodate the need for personal time without requiring complete isolation. Some students may be provoked by loud noises or get distracted easily if sitting too close to another student. Building more flexibility into a classroom or other learning environment through furniture allows students to maintain connection with the rest of the space and fellow students while taking the time they need to decompress or focus on their own. Another way to accomplish this is to build more openness and connectivity into classrooms. Garage-style doors, sliding doors or pivoting doors enable classrooms to open to surrounding spaces, including common areas that provide seating options for individual work or a personal break while still being in view of teachers.
offered a similar semi-private experience that provides students with a moment of reprieve.
For full separation, wellness rooms provide a retreat for emotional regulation. Wellness rooms are typically within or near the guidance suite. While many schools partner with outside providers for mental health prevention, some schools might not have access to psychologists, social workers or outside providers. In that case, wellness spaces might be located near the administration office or school clinic—or within a classroom community. Either way, wellness rooms should be located in a private area where students can feel safe.
It is also important to include quiet spaces within an open collaboration area, allowing students to self-select the space that feels best. Incorporating nooks within communal areas provides spaces for quiet reading or personal reflection while maintaining a sense of connection to the overall layout. For example, the underside of staircases is often underutilized space that creates the perfect setting for nooks or tunnels. At Windermere Elementary in Columbus, Ohio, a built-in tunnel under the learning staircase provides a private setting while also connecting both sides of the room. At Barrington Elementary, also located in Columbus, Moody Nolan took a different approach, creating a reading niche on the sides of the learning stair. This approach
Elements of a wellness room require careful attention. It’s important to include comfortable seating, dimmable lights to support the body’s natural circadian rhythm, a sound system for relaxing white noise, and a color palette that is reflective of nature, such as blue, green and purple. All of these aspects promote relaxation and reduce anxiety. Acoustics are another important factor to consider. The acoustical ceiling should have a minimum .70 Noise Reduction Coefficient, and acoustical wall panels can be installed to enhance sound insulation. Rubber is an excellent choice for flooring, as it helps reduce noise and is easily maintained.
Sizing Considerations
Some schools prefer small wellness rooms located in each learning community, which increases accessibility. Learning communities consist of classrooms grouped either by grade levels or by academic departments. They often include an administrator’s office to be closer in proximity to the students. These small wellness rooms can be approximately 80 to 100 square feet in size. Schools that include wellness rooms within the guidance suite may need to be larger to support the entire school. The size of these rooms should be based upon the student enrollment, but typically 150 square feet is sufficient. Schools are also beginning to offer group meditation that require a larger space. These peace centers typically range in size from 200 to 400 square feet or larger, offering a safe space for students to meet for yoga or other activities. Incorporating quiet areas for reflection—along with natural elements and access to natural light—supports trauma-informed design and creates environments that promote calmness, ensuring learners and educators can thrive. As wellbeing remains a priority for administrators, educators, parents, and students alike, such spaces will become essential to a student’s daily life and overall academic success. Thoughtful design and effective execution are crucial to ensuring these spaces have a meaningful impact.
Debra Kolesar, NCIDQ, is a senior interior design at Moody Nolan in Columbus, Ohio.
A reflection and relaxation space can lead to decreased negative behavior, improved mental health and more empowered students.
Photo Credit: Joseph Romeo
At Barrington Elementary, Moody Nolan created a reading niche on the sides of the learning stair.
Photo Credit: Cory Klein
At Windermere Elementary, a built-in tunnel under the learning staircase provides a private setting while also connecting both sides of the room.
Photo Credit: Mark Herboth
New Sonoma County Facility to Help Students Build Career Skills
SEBASTOPOL, Calif. — Analy High School, located within West Sonoma County’s Union High School District (WSCUHSD) has broken ground on a new building for Career Technical Education (CTE). While spanning just 15,000 square feet, the facility will serve as a critical space for students to develop engineering, welding, design, culinary and agricultural skills.
The $27 million project began in 2023 with the demolition of two on-campus buildings to establish a site for the new CTE facility. Designed by Santa Rosa, Calif.based Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and built by Larkfield-Wikiup, Calif.-based contractors GCCI, the facility will house an agricultural classroom, science classroom and culinary room with adjoining auxiliary spaces as well as a super-prefabricated studio equipped with an array of welding equipment. In addition, a cutting-edge technology space will serve interdisciplinary studies, and the facility will include a collaboration space, three flex classrooms and a prep room.
Designed to exceed Title 24 energy requirements that reduce wasteful, cost-inefficient and unnecessary energy use, the utility spaces, storage rooms, staff restrooms and a gender-neutral restroom will function sustainably within the building.
Adjacent site work on the campus’ paving and landscaping extending from the new CTE building to the existing cafeteria to create a cohesive campus environment.
“We are proud to partner with the West Sonoma County Union High School District on this transformative project,” said Kevin Chapin, QKA principal, in a statement. “We aim to foster innovation through design and these spaces will facilitate the expansion of important career-readiness programming on campus.”
Funding for the project comes from a local Measure A bond fund of $91 million that was passed in 2018 to address and improve WSCUHSD’s aging facilities. Numerous district projects have already been completed because of the bond funding, and the Analy High School CTE project is one of more than 10 updates the school is receiving, with other campus developments related to roofing, HVAC and athletic and recreational spaces.
“The modernization of facilities will create spaces that support our educational programs and improve the learning and teaching experience for both students and staff,” district leaders said in a statement. “Prioritizing increased indoor air quality, improved lighting, improved classroom acoustics and adding in updated technology are a few of the upgrades the district will be working towards.”
The district’s women-led facilities team—comprised of Jennie Bruneman, director of facilities, bond and technology, and Denise Fisher, coordinator of facilities and bond—worked alongside the design-build team to promote collaboration between Analy High School administrators, teachers and consultants. The building is slated for a fall 2026 opening, and the district’s facilities team will lead construction administration.
“This new facility represents a significant investment in our students’ futures,” said Chris Meredith, superintendent of WSCUHSD, in a statement. “These modern, well-equipped spaces will allow students to explore their passions and develop the specialty skills needed for success. Thank you to the community for its continuous support in making this project a reality, and our dedicated project team for guiding us through this process.”
Health & Wellness, from page 22
Grover Cleveland High School – Los Angeles
Built in 1961, Grover Cleveland High School underwent a 176,000-square-foot expansion to address overcrowding and better support modern educational needs. The renovation utilized translucent polycarbonate skylights and wall panels to maximize natural daylight, enhancing student performance, energy efficiency and overall well-being.
Vision glazing was strategically integrated into select wall panels, providing light control and clear views of mature trees and newly raised bio-filtration planters, enhancing the connection between occupants and nature. The redesign prioritized outdoor learning spaces and incorporated translucent polycarbonate canopies, landscaped courtyards and a central quad, creating an environment that fosters collaboration, social interaction and engagement with the outdoors.
Universal Design and Neuro-Inclusive Learning Spaces
Traditional classrooms often cater to neurotypical students, unintentionally creating barriers for neurodivergent learners, such as those with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses or sensory-processing differences. Neuro-inclusive design removes these barriers by creating environments where all students feel comfortable, mentally engaged and empowered to learn.
Well-designed spaces incorporate wide pathways, adjustable furniture and assistive technologies to enhance accessibility. A mix of quiet areas, collaborative zones and flexible seating supports diverse learning needs, while natural daylight and biophilic elements promote focus and well-being. Effective neuro-inclusive classrooms minimize distractions through thoughtful lighting, acoustic control and sensory zoning. By reducing sensory disruptions, these environments not only benefit students but also help educators manage classrooms more effectively and tailor teaching strategies to individual needs.
Lincoln School — Fergus Falls, Minn.
Independent School District 544 transformed a 90,000-square-foot former big-box store into Lincoln School, a dynamic facility serving Kindergarten, Early Childhood Education and Special Education (ECSE). Designed to support modern instructional practices, the school fosters curiosity, discovery and resilience. With dedicated sensory spaces, Lincoln School
ensures that students of all abilities have access to inclusive, supportive environments that enhance their educational journey.
To create a bright, engaging learning space, the school integrated advanced Tubular Daylighting Devices (TDDs), bringing natural daylight into interior classrooms and offices where windows were not feasible. The daylighting systems transformed the windowless building, providing horizontal and vertical illumination, while dimmable daylighting controls allow educators to adjust brightness for different activities and learning needs. The abundance of natural daylight has even allowed teachers to grow plants in windowless classrooms, further enriching the learning experience.
Resilient and Future-Proof Design
Resilient school design ensures buildings can withstand environmental challenges while maintaining safe, functional learning environments. By incorporating natural daylighting alongside passive cooling, energy storage and storm-resistant materials, schools can reduce their reliance on grid-based energy and remain operational during power outages or extreme weather events.
For instance, the ASU Student Pavilion at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., was designed with sustainability and resilience in mind. Featuring a combination of natural daylighting solutions, renewable energy sources and flexible learning spaces, the facility not only enhances student engagement but also serves as a model for climate-responsive educational architecture.
For Students and Future
The future of education depends on sustainable, student-centered design that prioritizes natural daylighting as a core architectural strategy. By integrating natural daylight into learning environments, schools can enhance student well-being, improve academic performance and reduce operational costs—all while minimizing their environmental impact.
As educational institutions continue to embrace evidence-based design principles, natural daylighting will play a pivotal role in shaping resilient, inclusive and high-performing schools that foster success for generations to come.
Spotlight, from page 16
entrances will serve as beacons for the building. Landscaping improvements will further establish the facility as a destination and gathering space.
“Developing a strong west entry on what formerly was a blank wall was a big development for the building and for the connection to the campus,” added Ellen Leuenberger, RA, LEED AP, associate with MCA. “The primary entrance to the Learning Resource Center is from the north via an expansive new exterior terrace, which connects to the interior Lobby with Café and the new Event Center. The two entrances, one on the west and one on the north, orient the building to both the existing heart and a newly reinvigorated area of the WVC campus.”
The Visioning Process
During pre-design, ABA and MCA hosted collaborative workshops with students, staff members and educators to help them envision what the building could become. The process included hands-on exercises that incorporated multiple learning and communication styles.
Participants often cited the building’s lack of modern technology and power infrastructure, wayfinding challenges, and a lack of visual connection from outdoors to indoors. In contrast, they envisioned a more welcoming facility that could serve many different programs while also supporting learning, collaboration and socialization. Meanwhile, WVC leaders envisioned the LRC as the anchor for the east side of campus.
“There were a lot of goals for this building with many stakeholder groups,” said Ellen Leuenberger, LEED AP, associate with MCA. “It was fascinating how we were able to build consensus among all the different groups and all these different goals.”
Neall Digert, Ph.D., MIES, is vice president of Innovation and Market Development, for Kingspan Light + Air North America.
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