Design Considerations of Educational Facilities
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At Cornerstone Architects, we are astute to the fact that K-12 educational facilities and higher educational facilities have very different needs and should be designed with that in mind. Educational buildings need to provide skills and opportunities to learners of a variety of ages, abilities, and experiences.
Elementary, middle, and high schools must be designed for age appropriateness to facilitate maximum learning potential. This includes correctly sized furniture, fixtures, and spaces as well as the use of exciting colors and visuals. However, a university, community college or trade school needs to accommodate high school graduates, returning learners, and lifetime learners. Higher education facilities are not high schools. They should look, feel and function at a transitional but different level.
A building must perform its best for all users to perform at their best. Studies have proven that incorporating natural daylight, ventilation, and other sustainable elements into a facility have profound positive effects on learning levels. By incorporating aesthetic elements of color, varied lighting levels, and multiple forms of technology, a space can activate high performance learning. Additionally, in appropriate locations, existing buildings should be modified to current code standards by enhancing accessibility for all users.
Each space within a facility is connected to an adjacent space through functional similarities, visual connections, aesthetic features, and performance qualities. As such, master planning, inclusive of space adjacency planning, is critical to maximize learning potential. For example, student commons, eating areas, and gathering spaces are designed with openness and connection to the exterior while also keeping acoustics in mind. Classrooms and other learning spaces are designed to bring education down to a limited group or individual level with smaller rooms, higher levels of acoustics, and bright, age-appropriate, and stimulating aesthetics.
All educational facilities are comprised of various types of spaces. Classrooms are not the only rooms where learning takes place. Incorporating active learning spaces, big and small, allows students and faculty to experience variety and flexibility to utilize for their educational process. Some active learning spaces include:
“Master planning, inclusive of space adjacency planning, is critical to maximize learning potential”
Lecture halls
Amphitheaters
Libraries and media centers
Gymnasiums
Study nooks
Lounge and Collaboration spaces
Outdoor spaces
While learning spaces make up a large portion of a building, not every room involves learning. Nonetheless, all are essential to the function of the building as a whole. Some non-learning spaces that require detailed planning include:
Lobbies, entries, and gathering areas
Eating and food serving
Administrative offices
Display areas
Toilet rooms and locker rooms
Back-of-house, mechanical, and storage
The following sections break down some additional design considerations that are specific to each category of learning facilities.
K-12 Facilities
“A well thought-out master planning includes community input and considerations. A positive impact is made when connecting a district to the community, who are ultimately the building users.”
In planning K-12 Educational facilities, well thought-out master planning includes community input and considerations. A positive impact is made when connecting a district to the community, who are ultimately the building users. Throughout our extensive experience in designing new, renovating existing, and adding onto school facilities, we have experience working with public, private, and specialty schools and their surrounding communities.
Through a design process which involves school administration, the community, curriculum needs, and student and faculty input, Cornerstone Architects brings all desired programmatic and design elements together to form a highly functional and beautiful educational facility where all users are excited to learn and educate every day.
Higher Education Facilities
Higher education facilities should incorporate elements that students may face in the next transition to living life.
Business schools that look more like business buildings than classrooms
Skilled trade centers that emulate a construction atmosphere
Engineering and Innovation spaces that encourage a push to the limits
Study and gathering spaces that are comfortable, welcoming collaborative, rich with technology, and food
Supportive spaces for educators and staff that are accessible, welcoming, and flexible
Consideration of on-site residential units that provide for collaboration, privacy, flexibility and year-round use.
A “deep dive” into the community support and impact on a region are considerations that are sometimes missed opportunities.
Additionally, a campus master plan for new and existing structures that includes community considerations is often necessary for establishing goals for the future. With a master plan that looks ahead several years, designs can start to take shape for various campus buildings. For example: Libraries, food service, dining, housing, recreational, specialty programs (culinary, maritime, business, nursing), for new and existing structures. We have the ability to approach historic campuses with an appropriate respect, and enhance function, accessibility, and efficiency for building reuse.