The recently completed American School in Aberdeen, Scotland, serves the children of U.S. oil company employees and other Scottish and foreign children. Describes the program manager's role, explains how to select the architect and contractor, and offers advice on what to remember when building abroad. (MLF)

Provides reasons for using dome architecture in building educational facilities and describes the development of two such dome facilities in Arizona: a pre-kindergarten through Grade 8 multipurpose facility for Native-American students, and a school library and parent center. Highlights the facilities' interior-design features and some cost…

Describes nationally recognized educational-facility designs from around North America, including the four 1997 James D. MacConnell Award winners. Features profiles of 13 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 13 high schools, and 5 other types of schools. Contains pictures and facility synopses, and lists occupancy date, building capacity, project…

Provides summarized data from the 23rd Annual Official Education Construction Report on school construction costs across the United States. It shows where the money is being spent, how much, and where construction is taking place; assesses future projections; and highlights types of retrofits put in place by school districts and colleges. (GR)

Examines the planning and development process for building a new secondary school close to a busy commercial center in Geneva, Switzerland. The use of a two-stage architectural competition to help meet the proposal's challenges is described. Geneva's need for a new school, traditional school designs, and educational trends are also discussed. (GR)

High-growth school districts can learn from Park City, Utah, about the adoption of school facility impact fees. These fees are levied against new residential units to offset the additional costs to a school district. A sidebar summarizes variation in state laws pertaining to impact fees and cites some legal challenges to their imposition. (MLF)

Discusses the search by school systems and construction professionals for new efficiencies in the face of economic pressures. Some are shrinking or stretching out construction programs and demanding better economies. Others are seeking new financial partners and non-traditional funding methods, or deciding that creating new school space does not…

Discusses how to keep school district capital-improvement projects within budget. Examines areas where runaway costs creep into a project and ways of cutting or lessening these costs, such as using standard agreements, controlling architect's expense reimbursements, developing a quality-control process, and reducing document duplication. (GR)

Describes changes in the construction, renovation, and utilization of school buildings to accommodate several new trends in education: Technological intervention, specialized facilities, schools as the center of the community, instructional areas, unneeded excess space, leases, and build-to-suit. (PKP)

This report is one of a series of briefs prepared by the American Institute of Architects National Committee on Architecture for Education addressing ways and means of reducing costs in the design and delivery of educational facilities. Specifically, this report is a useful guide to understanding the relationships between educational philosophy…

This Washington State manual explains the full spectrum of activities involved in the planning, design, and construction of successful and cost-effective projects for school facilities. Chapters cover advance planning; financing; site selection; educational specifications; consultant selection; school design; bidding, evaluation, and award of…

This document presents educational specifications for a new high school in Ridley school District in Pennsylvania. The specifications are offered by the school's administration and faculty. They address in detail the following areas: (1) exterior (including site and building exterior); (2) building interior; (3) classrooms; (4) department centers;…

This report describes school design and construction delivery processes used by the School Board of Brevard County (Cocoa, Florida) that help optimize value, avoid problems, and eliminate the cost of maintaining a large facility staff. The project phases are examined from project definition through design to construction. Project delivery…

A school construction guide offers key personnel in school development projects information on the complex task of master planning and construction of schools in Australia. This chapter of the guide provides advice on issues involving school space design and the kinds of spaces required in schools, including lecture spaces and seminar rooms,…

Schoolhouse planning is becoming specialized. In a few of the larger centers of population there are architects who desire no other work except the planning of school buildings. This is bringing about in the larger cities schoolhouses that are peculiarly adapted to the educational program. They are sanitary, well lighted, and properly ventilated.…