On the evening of November 13, 2008, AAF and Great Schools by Design presenting sponsor Target hosted a program of new perspectives on school design.
National and local education leaders and designers gathered at the Shakespeare Theatre Company Harman Center for the Arts to hear the preliminary findings of AAF’s Voice of the Student research project. Moderated by Maurice Cox, Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts, the panel presented results from the most significant study to date on student attitudes about school design. Major themes articulated by the nation’s high school students included: creating new learning opportunities by designing spaces that allow students to engage in hands-on, self-directed, and team learning; designing for variety and flexibility so that spaces can accommodate different learning styles and are lively and engaging; providing comfortable and social spaces to interact with peers and teachers and foster informal learning; integrating technology to enhance every way they learn; and promoting a connection with the outdoors for mental and physical wellbeing.
The evening also included a panel of school superintendents (alumni of Great Schools by Design institutes) addressing the role of leadership in school design. They talked about the importance of including design in their leadership portfolio and gave examples of projects resulting from their vision that are having positive impacts on the quality of life for students, teacher, and communities.
GSbD previewed its newest DVD Partnerships for a Sustainable Future: Schools and Community featuring The Rosa Parks School in Portland, Oregon. The school presents a model for learning spaces that respects the environment while bringing together a diverse community. The Rosa Parks School is a gold-standard Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building that helps children learn, keeps them safe and protects the planet for their future.
The program culminated with the presentation of the Richard Riley Award for Schools as Centers of Community to the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy in Los Angeles, California. Anne Bryant, Executive Director of the National School Boards Association presented the award on behalf of Secretary Riley. Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, once a deserted mini-mall, was the result of community organizing that gives the school deep roots in its neighborhood. The school’s commitment to actively engaging the community in its design, its prioritization of a small-scale learning environment, and its broad services to the community were cited by jury members in their unanimous decision.
AAF is grateful to KnowledgeWorks Foundation for its partnership on the Riley Award.
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