By James Biehle
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December 1st, 2006
A major responsibility of a school board is management of the district’s real capital budget. Paul A. Samuelson, in his classic textbook Economics, defines real capital as “equipment, buildings, and inventories.” Any item of real capital has both a first and a life-cycle cost. The car you drive has a life-cycle cost, and the local [...]
By James Biehle
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November 17th, 2006
by James T. Biehle, AIA
Growing plants in a controlled environment such as a greenhouse can be a wonderful enhancement to any science program. Thoughtful planning, proper design, and faculty advocates who support the greenhouse as an
Greenhouse with ventilation system
important asset to their curriculums are necessary for a school greenhouse to be successful. This article discusses [...]
Posted in Architecture, Articles | Also tagged greenhouse, planning, school, science, science building design, science building planning, science facilities, science facilities planning, science facility design, science facility planning, science lab design, science lab planning |
By James Biehle
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May 16th, 2004
On several recent projects I’ve had the opportunity to review ed specs prepared by several well-respected educational facilities consultants and have noted that spaces proposed for science education are often inadequate, incomplete and ill-defined. Since science learning space is unlike other classroom space, both in terms of area and cost, such program inadequacies hamper the [...]
Posted in Architecture, Articles | Also tagged Americans with Disabilities Act, classroom, cost estimating, prep and storage, safety, science, science building design, science building planning, science facilities, science facilities design, science facilities planning, science facility design, science facility planning, science lab design, science lab planning |
By James Biehle
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August 16th, 2002
In the early 1990s, many middle and high schools began converting their industrial arts shops into “tech labs,” in which the power tools, sawdust and grease of the vocational programs were replaced by computers, student workstations and canned technology courseware. Students flocked to the new teach labs because they were unique environments within the school, [...]
Posted in Architecture, Articles | Also tagged education, high school, lab, project space, schools, science, science building planning, science facilities, science facilities design, science facilities planning, science facility design, science facility planning, science lab design, science lab planning, technology |
By Michael Fickes
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January 17th, 2001
Changes in the way teachers teach science have given rise to a new generation of designs for science classrooms and new approaches to furnishing those classrooms.
An increasing preference for hands-on science instruction has created the need for science laboratories in middle schools, as well as K-5 classrooms.
While the lower grades have begun to employ more [...]
Posted in Architecture, Articles | Also tagged ada, Americans with Disabilities Act, classroom, education, flexibility, furniture, high school, lab, prep and storage, science, science building design, science building planning, science facilities, science facilities design, science facilities planning, science facility design, science facility planning, science lab design, science lab planning, technology |
By James Biehle
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October 1st, 2000
It appears that science education is moving more and more toward individual and small-group, hands-on projects and away from the “sage on the stage” lecture and “one size fits all” laboratory projects. The Thomas Haney Centre in Maple Ridge, British Columbia (Canada) operates on Individual study plans for each student, requiring that a student demonstrate [...]
Posted in Architecture, Articles | Also tagged flexibility, greenhouse, high school, prep and storage, project space, science, science building design, science building planning, science facilities, science facilities design, science facilities planning, science facility design, science facility planning, science lab design, science lab planning, science resource area |
By James Biehle
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January 1st, 2000
In the wake of the Columbine High School shootings, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has been besieged by the question: How can architects design safer schools?
By James Biehle
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January 24th, 1999
Due to the basic nature of science, science classrooms and laboratories are among the most hazardous instructional areas in the school environment, so safety for those who will be using the facilities should be a prominent concern for facility planners. The planning team should give specific attention not only to the design of the facilities but also to the establishment of emergency procedures.
Posted in Architecture, Articles | Also tagged flexibility, prep and storage, safety, schools, science, science building design, science building planning, science facilities, science facilities design, science facilities planning, science facility design, science facility planning, science lab design, science lab planning, tech, technology |
Designing Science Facilities for the New Science Standards – key concepts in improving today’s K-12 teaching spaces.
