Architecture Foundation Boosts Schools

Transforming the way America's public schools are planned and designed is the aim of a brand-new initiative of the the American Architectural Foundation (AAF). Announced earlier this month at the "Accent on Architecture" gala, an annual AAF fundraiser, the "Great Schools by Design" program will meet two major goals: to be a resource to school and community leaders and inform them about "leading-edge thinking in school design," and to create a national forum for the "major stakeholders in school design to think creatively about the larger issues affecting the design and construction of schools."

Motivating the AAF to form this initiative is the generally deteriorating condition of public schools and the need to build new ones. In a statement, the AAF points out that "more than 55 million Americans, one fifth of the population, spend their days in our nation's elementary and secondary school buildings, many of which are in disrepair. The United States spends $20 billion each year to renovate and build urban schools, and the need is rising. New York City alone estimates that at least $15 billion is needed to restore its 1,200 school buildings. In addition to fixing outdated and dilapidated schools, 6,000 new facilities must be built nationwide in the next decade simply to keep pace with population growth."

"The numbers are daunting," said Ronald Bogle, CEO of the AAF. "We simply must respond to the challenges this crisis presents. The architecture and design community can play a central role in helping cities address their school facilities needs and, as a result, positively affect the well-being of future generations."

"We've heard from architects, school board members, superintendents, teachers, mayors, and manufacturers that there is an absence of good communication between the various stakeholders in school design," explained Bogle. "Our goal is to create forums for much earlier and broader conversations."

According to the AAF, Great Schools by Design will engage architects, planners, school board members, superintendents, teachers, students, parents, civic leaders, and other concerned parties "in active dialogue about this country's school buildings." The first such forum took place in Chicago last September, and was called the "Chicago Forum on School Design." The AIA's Committee on Architecture for Education assisted in facilitating the event, which assembled a panel of 30 school-design architects from around the country, as well as numerous experts on educational planning.

Upcoming "Great Schools by Design" events are planned for Orlando, Florida, this month, and for other cities later this year to be announced later. A national summit on school design will be held in 2005, although a location has not yet been selected.