Modest investment transforms Ohio University basement storage space into esports hub for gaming, gathering, and building workplace skills If a college student enjoys film studies, there is probably a place on campus where they can join other film buffs. Similarly, performing arts fans likely have spaces where they can ply their craft with like-minded students. […]
Learning
Robin Randall elevated to American Institute of Architects College of Fellows
Educational architect Robin Randall’s focus on setting up others for success leads to American Institute of Architects’ highest honor During meetings and presentations, architect Robin Randall is often seen smiling and nodding while other participants — client representatives, community members, coworkers — share their thoughts. The drive to listen, ignite dialogue, promote client ideas, and […]
10 ways to achieve therapeutic learning environments
Today’s school should be much more than a place to learn — it should be a nurturing setting that celebrates achievements and responds to the challenges of many different users. School leaders, architects, and interior designers face a challenge when it comes to educational settings: how can they create a facility that improves the lives […]
An architectural view of school safety and security
Communication forms the foundation of a safe school environment. With threats ranging from severe weather to active shooters, school leaders, designers, and security consultants face many challenges in creating safe environments that allow children to thrive. Paul Timm, PSP, school security expert and vice president at Facility Engineering Associates, explains the one thing that underpins […]
How to pass school construction referendums
Passing a school construction referendum requires a careful balancing act of showing the need, making the right ask, and most importantly, building community support. LaSalle-Peru Township High School District 120 operated a 90-year-old campus that had not received major updates in more than 50 years. The Illinois district needed to modernize its aging facilities, but […]
John Hancock College Preparatory High School receives HACIA’s 2022 Project of the Year award
Architectural/engineering/construction team prioritizes diversity/local involvement in the design and building of Public Building Commission of Chicago/Chicago Public Schools’ John Hancock College Preparatory High School The new John Hancock College Preparatory High School received the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association’s (HACIA) 2022 Project of the Year award. The 178,000-square-foot high school, Chicago Public Schools’ only new […]
A.E.R.O. Therapeutic Center to raise bar for Illinois special education facilities
Research into cognitive/physical disabilities and behavior/emotional diversities drives design of A.E.R.O. Special Education Cooperative’s new multi-program facility Often, special education students and their teachers must make do with standard educational spaces that lack the amenities they need to excel. The A.E.R.O. Therapeutic Center now under construction in Burbank, Illinois will turn that reality on its […]
Does your school’s furniture support learning styles and improve performance?
Choosing the best furniture for students means accepting that not just any chair will do. When it comes to educational facilities, furniture becomes the last powerful element of a strong architectural statement. Furniture responds to function, but also helps create the feel of a space. Students interact with furniture more than any other design element. […]
Michael Lundeen Celebrates 30 Years at Legat Architects
A most personable analyst: Legat Architects’ Michael Lundeen achieves three decades of leading influential projects, advancing higher education campuses, and setting an example for emerging architects In the mid-1980s, Michael Lundeen nearly dropped out of the architectural program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). “I was struggling with design studio,” he said. “It […]
Simulation means success: immersive public safety training comes to college campuses
When classrooms are not enough: how higher education campuses can use immersive environments that replicate real-world situations to enhance public safety training. Featuring a case study of Cuyahoga Community College’s Simulated Scenario Village. Today’s national conversation about law enforcement focuses on issues ranging from community-based policing to domestic terrorism and natural disasters. This proves the […]
Jefferson Early Childhood Center recognized among Illinois’ best educational environments
Jefferson Early Childhood Center one of three Illinois schools honored with Award of Merit in statewide competition In 2016, Community Unit School District 200 (District 200) launched a competition that challenged two top Chicago educational architecture firms to design a replacement for its ailing early learning center in Wheaton, Illinois. The community wanted a facility […]
Think Tank Encourages Reinvestment in Educational Infrastructure
The courage to call out a problem and create change on “the other side of town”: Legat Architects’ 2021 Think Tank launches with ideas for addressing educational disinvestment At her first meeting with the Future Ready Columbus (Ohio) Board of Directors,Jane D. Leach gave each board member a picture of a child under five years […]