August 10, 2006

Doing Heavy Duty

With shrinking school budgets and the expectation of getting more for the money, selecting the best school furniture becomes critical.  Read what schools feel are the critical factors in selecting furniture.

Doing Heavy Duty

Dec 1, 2004 12:00 PM
By Mike Kennedy

As he works on the renovation and expansion of the Center for the Arts at Towson University in Towson, Md., academic facility planner Kris Phillips is reminded continually of the importance of choosing the right furniture for the center.

 

Much of the furniture still being used in the existing facility was purchased when the center opened more than 30 years ago. The lesson? The furniture Phillips is helping to select for the renovated center needs to be around not just for today's Towson students, but also for their children — and beyond.

“For us, it's a longevity issue,” says Phillips. “With the capital funding available, we have a once-in-a-lifetime shot to buy furniture. We need to make sure we make a wise institutional choice.”

For education institutions, many of which are coping with stagnant or shrinking budgets, issues such as style and aesthetics may play some part in deciding what furniture to buy, but the overriding characteristic sought in chairs, desks, tables and other furnishings is durability.

To read more about school furniture selection factors, click here.

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The Furniture Equation

Furniture is taking on a new role to support fast paced technology changes occurring daily.  How flexible is your furniture infrastructure?  Can it keep pace with the changing times?

The Furniture Equation

Jun 1, 2004 12:00 PM
Jeffrey D. Chambers

Technology is changing educational facilities in ways that could not have been imagined a few years ago. When bricks and mortar are put in place, they are expected to remain in place — educational programs are modified to fit the “box.” With gaps of 20 years or more between capital-improvement projects, schools must develop ways to accommodate the fast pace of technological change and facilitate the use of the latest technology.

 

Teaching now embraces differing learning styles: independent student work, small-group sessions, larger group discussions, teacher-directed instruction and lectures. To accommodate those styles, schools must have the flexibility to reconfigure instructional spaces regularly. The spaces also must have data and power connections for laptop or desktop computers and possibly other personal electronic devices. Some specialized lab spaces can be customized with fixed equipment, but most educational spaces will require as much flexibility and adaptability as possible, including technology-free zones with comfortable seating for interaction and communication.

To read more about furniture supporting technology changes, click here.

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Classroom Colors

We know how colors affect our moods, but who would think colors of school furnishings matter?  Gone are the days of institutional grays and greens.  Today, the color of the furnishings is an important factor to consider in affecting how students behave and perform. 

Classroom Colors

May 1, 2005 12:00 PM
By Mike Kennedy

After countless decisions about what goes into a classroom — how much to spend, whether to get desks or chairs and tables, how large the furnishings should be, how easily they can be moved, how durable the pieces are, how much storage space will be needed — the question of color might seem like an afterthought.

But studies have indicated that the colors in a classroom can affect how students behave and perform. So after finding functional furniture that is safe, comfortable, flexible and durable, schools may want to consider how the colors of the furnishings can enhance the learning environment.

“Color is important and it can have benefits for the classroom,” says Kathie Engelbrecht, an educational planner with the Perkins + Will design firm.

To read more about the benefits of using colors in classrooms, click here.

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Natural Selection

Many think school furnishing are an after thought by the designers.  Something to fill up that empty space they designed.  Not so.  As this article points out, school furnishings are all part of the plan.

Natural Selection

Jun 1, 2006 12:00 PM
By Julie Hall

School's out for summer. For younger students, this might mean swimming pools and ice cream cones. For high school and college students, it could mean a summer job or internship. For education administrators, however, summer break can be a time to regroup and prepare facilities for the next influx of students.

 

Ensuring facilities are equipped with proper furnishings is part of this preparation. Some considerations to keep in mind when choosing furniture include the function of the environment in which the furniture will be placed, the furniture's level of comfort and ability to perform different tasks, and the availability of different types of furniture within a given space.

To read more about aspects of choosing school furniture, click here.

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High Hopes

While every School Administrator dreams of building a new school, maybe renovating a school is a more realistic reality.  Read the following article to see the pros and cons of successfully renovating  schools.   

High Hopes

Jul 1, 2006 12:00 PM
By Craig Mason, Lisa Johnson and Larry Ahern

Many schools have growing student enrollments that require bigger and better buildings, and evolving educational delivery methods warrant new spatial concepts that support modern teaching needs. But does that mean it's time for a new school? Maybe not.

To read more about school renovations, click here.

 

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