Daniel, I'll give you one architect's opinion - though I am an architect who has worked a lot in the world of K-12 private schools. I have been to the "School Building Expos" and gained from touring exemplary schools from around the country, "bringing home" the new ideas. So, in maybe $32 million in new and rehab work, I always included the ideas and benefits of transparency. With school security being such an important factor, I especially called for glass in places like all administrative offices, coaches' offices, conference rooms, places where people with any authority over students should "keep an eye on" what was happening in the hallways, gym and lobbies. To address your comment, "security" was my predominant design principle.
We were able to convince the schools to build these critical visual portals. But here is what happened. Not long after the buildings were completed, I would almost always find that someone had authorized window blinds for these same windows. Repeatedly, the blinds were installed, and the blinds were turned to a closed position! (Why did we spend the money for glass?!) I would take issue with this when and as I could. This would at times get the window blinds turned to an open position - for a while. Then I would again find them closed and left that way.
Here is my bottom line opinion on why this happened, after living with it for years. Good school security - in all its many facets - does not happen because it has been provided for architecturally. It happens when and because the top administrator on campus (head of school, principal, etc.)
requires it to happen. In fact, I now believe it happens
only when they require it of their faculty and staff. Without that requirement being repeatedly reinforced in staff meetings, etc., over a small amount of time, those paid to be responsible for the safety of hundreds of children will favor their own personal privacy instead. In my work I now specialize in school security. And this is where I start - "at the top". The architecture will reflect the commitment of the administrator. I get it on the record that I'm recommending transparency. After that, what happens, happens.
I'm getting lengthy, but I will address one more comment about the classroom. From my experience of direct interaction with teachers, I find they see a wall - any wall - as a place to post things. This occurs no matter what the wall is made of - drywall, block, or even glass. If it's a vertical surface,
"cover it up!" I think we can trace this problem to the programming phase. During programming we will likely take note of
what they teach. So, we know how to outfit a Science room different from an Art room or an English room. But we often do not get to learn and consider
how they teach. And this can vary from teacher to teacher, and be somewhat laborious to program.
The problem may evidence itself more in the lower grades. There are plenty of pedagogical reasons why the posting of students' work is important. But when there are 20 to 30 students per class, and multiple classes may use the same room, wall space is at a premium. It would be helpful, and perhaps help to preserve some transparency, if "wall display" were added to the program, right along with cabinetry, white boards, book shelves, and other wall-claiming classroom components.
-------------------------------------------
Warren Eck, AIA
President
Ecksperience, LLC
Orlando FL
www.ecksperience.com -------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 04-16-2015 22:35
From: Daniel Lamoreaux
Subject: Transparent design in schools
Hey Everybody!
At some CAE conference presentations today, I realized a pattern; a lot of newer schools and classrooms have great transparent designs with lots of glass and windows, but it sounds like teachers usually just cover them up! I can infer some of their reasons for doing so, but since I'm a newcomer to school design and architecture, I'd like to hear YOUR perspectives, hence my discussion question:
What are some of YOUR personal philosophies and rationales for designing classrooms and schools with more transparency (i.e. windows)? What design principles drive this? I'm just looking to get your insights, so if you could do me the honor, the knowledge would be much appreciated!
-------------------------------------------
Daniel Lamoreaux
3rd Year PhD Student, School Psychology program
University of Arizona
Tucson AZ
-------------------------------------------