Security measures are most often installed on the inside of a building. Here's how to use the site and landscape plan to create a safer outdoor environment.

In the early 1960s, an architect in New Mexico was known nationally for his expertise in designing schools that could withstand a nuclear attack. The solutions in the designs were apparent: Windowless classrooms to protect occupants from flying glass, structural integrity in the selection of concrete frame design, masonry as an exterior finish, and tightly sealed buildings to prevent the circulation of contaminated air. He was designing bunkers.

Until a few years ago, school designs in Arizona were required to be reviewed by the Civil Defense Office to determine the buildings' suitability for refuge in case of emergency. Today, the concern has shifted from school designs that can withstand nuclear attack to school designs that can be secure from domestic terrorism.

We are designing our schools to be the center of activity for our communities, and we stress the need for public/private partnerships and the use of our facilities for more of the calendar year. The introduction of these concepts has presented districts a security challenge which is beginning to surface as one of the most important challenges in designing today's facilities.

Schools today are seeing dramatic increases in size. This, educators say, makes it easier to provide more extensive programs, but at the same time introduces other issues of control and safety. Some elementary school populations are more than 900, junior highs are 1,500, and it is not uncommon for high schools to reach 3,000 students. When designing for safety and security, what should districts and designers of facilities look for when designing a new facility or evaluating an existing one?

Safety and security of students have always been of prime concern to school administrators and local code enforcers. The increase in youth violence, substance abuse, and other societal ills makes safety and security a major concern for school design professionals as well. Local, state, and national building codes have addressed the need for safe environments when it comes to fire and building safety and access for the physically challenged. But only now are we beginning to address security issues and the effects of substance abuse and gang activity in the design of our school facilities.