Karina,
Thank you for your efforts on this topic. We, as members of the AIA are best suited to be at the forefront of this issue. I believe it is our duty as responsible designers. We have taken the mantle of sustainable design as a professional organization, and I believe designing schools to be their safest and simultaneously a place that fosters learning and inspires not frightens, to be the next great challenge. One we should embrace. My research at Penn State University is specifically aimed at this issue. As a practicing architect, I changed direction of my career a few years ago to help find solutions to the problems we face with mass shootings. After Sandy Hook I was left wondering what might be missing. As I continue my research I am eager to learn what you, in the Committee on Architecture for Education (which I have recently joined) have to say. My efforts to find others within the AIA who are interested in security specific issues was not particularly fruitful, but given the gravity of the topic within the education community, perhaps this is the right place. As a member of the American Society of Industrial Security's (ASIS) Architecture and Engineering Security Council (AESC) I want to let you know that we are dedicated to improving security within the built environment. Many ASIS members are AIA members as well, including our past president Tom Vonier.
As you suggest CPTED is not a panacea. It is a criminology theory aimed to eliminate crime rather than punish or reform the offender after the criminal act has occurred. But the key is design. CPTED as a criminology theory is taught within sociology and criminology schools, yet architects are uniquely qualified to make the greatest impact in this effort. But we are not trained in the CPTED principles. Non-designers are trained at making changes in the built environment without any design training. It's a real missed opportunity for us. CPTED principles are so simple yet most architects I suspect are unaware of what they are or have even heard of CPTED. As a result, our designs head out of the gate already under-performing. If we are unlucky, we discover the failures after a tragedy. Passive security strategies such as improving natural surveillance can help eliminate the inevitable reliance on mechanical security strategies such as cameras. We spend so much time on design and leave the security vendors to wreak havoc at the end.
As society is confronting this issue as either a gun control matter or a mental health issue, I believe there is a place in the middle to seek solutions. This is the realm of architecture. While we may not be able to stop every possible event, we should not believe we won't make a difference. It just may be that our design expertise may make all the difference at saving life. How many people can say they can make that kind of impact?
As a new member of the CAE I look forward to reading many of your insights on this issue.
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Mike
Michael S. Nowak, AIA, NCARB, CPHC, NCIDQ
Ph.D. Student
Department of Architecture
Pennsylvania State University
107 Stuckeman Family Building
University Park. PA 16802
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-15-2018 18:36
From: B. Ruiz
Subject: School Safety
Ryan,
Thanks for adding this important topic to the discussion board. I completely agree that the AIA CAE needs to be a leading voice in the conversation on designing safe, secure and connected schools. As a member of the AIA CAE Leadership Group, I know that we are currently working diligently with AIA National on publishing a position paper that takes a holistic look at the issues of school safety. We are also currently encouraging, engaging, and assisting the AIA National Board of Directors as they take a hard look at AIA Policies concerning safety in educational facilities. We understand that this discussion is currently very heated and we need to provide a timely response and hope to be able to do so soon.
That said, I would like to offer some resources for those members having these discussions in their communities. These resources can serve as a starting point for those looking for guidance in designing for safety in schools:
http://cptedsecurity.com/cpted_design_guidelines.htm
https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/st/bips07_428_schools.pdf
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dhs/criteria/integrated-rapid-visual-screening-schools
One of the dangers of these and other school hardening resources however is that these measures alone aren't enough. Sandy Hook ES and Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS had some of the "target hardening" elements described in many CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) standards installed and it didn't stop perpetrators from entering the schools and causing tragedies. As architects, we are being asked to develop designs that provide for bullet-proof glass, secure entry vestibules, surveillance camera systems, etc. These can be beneficial to deter an active shooter and can also aid in providing deterrents for bullying and other behavioral elements, but they are not the exclusive answer. Our clients are being barraged with offers from various manufacturers about products that will shield students in the event of an active-shooter situation and you can certainly understand the pressure from parents and community members to provide these measures and more to keep their kids safe.
It is our responsibility as architects, however, to serve as a counterpoint to some of these hardening tactics as well. We cannot let fear dictate design or advocate for designing our schools to resemble prisons. Our schools and communities deserve more from us. In addition to providing enhanced security measures, we also need to look at research on provisions of "soft design" as well. In response to the MSD school shooting, we have seen many school & university officials, national educational organizations, affiliated organizations and individuals come together as an interdisciplinary group to develop a "Call for Action to Prevent Gun Violence in the US" where they stress the importance of creating stronger, more connected school communities focused on development and identification of soft skills in students to reduce the incidence of isolation, depression, bullying and discrimination in our schools. The design of schools can and should be an active partner in this conversation. Through transparency, adjacency and creation of warm, welcoming environments, architects can provide the physical spaces to nurture these activities.
In a recent community meeting, we were asked, "How can the architecture support relationship"? This should be the lens we are using in designing our schools and we as the AIA CAE look forward to continuing to develop opportunities at the national and local level to further this very important conversation. We hope you will join us!
Karina
AIA CAE Leadership Group Vice Chair
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B. Ruiz AIA
Principal
BRIC Architecture, Inc
Portland OR
Original Message:
Sent: 03-14-2018 18:11
From: Ryan Monson
Subject: School Safety
While school safety is forefront in the national discussion, why isn't AIA, on behalf of the profession, putting forth better school design as a part of the solution to make schools safer? It seems like we could be a strong voice of reason and a very practical part of the answer.
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Ryan Monson, AIA
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