A design process that starts and ends with research results in school environments that energize learning. When it comes time to build, whether it’s new construction or renovations, design teams can transform purpose into place by putting the educational institution’s mission at the center of the design approach. But how can we bridge the learning […]
Learning
Muscatine High School science expansion creates regional STEM destination
Science expansion at Muscatine High School paves STEM curriculum pathways based on students’ goals, whether they plan to enroll in a two- or four-year institution, join a trade school, or enter the workforce directly To walk through the science addition at Muscatine High School (Muscatine, Iowa) is to experience a community of learning. The light-filled […]
Architecture and daylight: planning strategies for energy-efficient buildings
Energy efficient, healthy, and affordable: the predictable nature of seasonal daylight geometry makes it one of the first topics to be considered when undergoing any design project. In the decades since the 1970s, we’ve learned a great deal about how to take advantage of the sun to not only reduce building energy consumption, but also […]
Lake Land College’s Luther Student Center creates new welcome center, unites student services, eases navigation
Luther Student Center additions and renovations at Lake Land College revive spaces ranging from Student Life/Activities and Career Services to Laker Nest Bookstore and Lake Land Police Department “Where do I go?” New students and visitors often had trouble navigating Lake Land College’s campus in Mattoon, Illinois. There was no clearly defined entry, and student […]
Schools unearth positive lessons from COVID-19 experience
School district leaders and a clinical psychologist share travails and triumphs during the COVID-19 pandemic Though COVID-19 numbers have begun to wane, school districts across the nation continue to face pandemic-related stressors: communicating with parents, ensuring appropriate social distancing, masking, and air quality protocols, and striking a balance between remote, hybrid, and in-person learning. Legat […]
Hawthorn Elementary School South expansion and renovations to emphasize arts, nature, collaboration
Forthcoming Hawthorn Elementary School South building projects designed during pandemic dodge costly site work, highlight robust arts program When students return to Hawthorn Elementary School South (Vernon Hills, IL) after summer break in 2022, they will be greeted by a renewed setting where light, art, and nature unite. Abstracted tree canopies stretch over a new […]
Augustana College’s Lindberg Center to launch kinesiology program, new natatorium
Peter J. Lindberg, M.D., Center for Health and Human Performance to house Augustana College’s new kinesiology program, support expanding public health program, and usher in larger and brighter natatorium According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, positions for physical therapists are anticipated to grow by 22% over the next decade. Accordingly, Augustana College in […]
North Scott High School practice facility benefits athletes, community members
New cost-effective practice facility at North Scott High School serves multiple sports, reduces scheduling conflicts, offers more equipment storage When the weather turned sour, the North Scott High School Lancers boys baseball team would take batting practice in an off-campus building known affectionately as the “Silver Bullet.” With its two batting cages, the old farming […]
How buildings teach kindness: inspiring social-emotional learning through design
A call for educational institutions and architects to design school settings that create a clean slate and help all students achieve their success threshold Discrimination is an ugly word. In some way or another, we’ve all been a victim to it, and we’ve all seen it happening to someone else. When it comes to educational […]
COVID-19 and social-emotional well-being within the school community
As schools face the many challenges of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, a clinical psychologist shares ideas for maintaining social and emotional health for students, teachers, and parents. The prospect of returning to school this fall has generated contention among school communities as they debate a variety of topics: scheduling, seating arrangements, deep cleaning, mask […]
Joliet’s Laraway School wins John Shaw Award for design and community planning
Laraway School in Joliet, Illinois takes top spot in 12-state John N. Shaw Award competition sponsored by Association for Learning Environments’ Midwest Great Lakes Chapter Two years ago, a Laraway School girls basketball player walked into a gym at another school and said, “Are we allowed in here?” She had noticed how much better that […]
Architects and COVID-19: emerging from the quarantine
Étouffée, perfect circles, and fresh air: Legat Architects employees share COVID-19 quarantine experiences Legat employees have begun to gradually return to our Illinois and Ohio studios while adhering to CDC-recommended guidelines for reducing the spread of COVID-19. One thing we can’t refute (nor can anyone else): the last three months have been unlike any other. […]
