The Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) is a Knowledge Community of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). We are a large and active group of over 10,000 architects and allied professionals concerned with the quality and design of all types of educational, cultural, and recreational facilities that promote lifelong learning in safe, welcoming and equitable environments. The CAE’s mission is to foster innovative and collaborative design of educational facilities and to heighten public awareness on the importance of learning environments.
Based on the neighboring river's meander, we take participants on a journey surrounding a newly designed K-8 STEAM campus, planned to bring unique learning options to a formerly under-served student population. The presentation discusses adding an 'A' to STEM – STEAM’s importance on this campus and beyond. The discussion touches on four major points: concept; Makerspace design; integrating landscape and interior ideas; implementing collaborative workshops to involve students, teachers, district staff and the greater community. Presenter: Olivia Graf Doyle is the Design Principal leading all education projects for Architecture For Education Inc. Her expertise includes technology-rich classrooms, student spaces, and performing arts. Olivia is at the forefront of researching and testing ideas that set new standards in learning environments and sustainability. She has a unique ability to integrate the client’s functional and cultural needs into solutions that reflects the client’s mission and values. Olivia’s design balances aesthetics with sustainable features and technical innovations to emphasize expressive and functional architecture that inspires student learning. Content of Presentation Olivia will speak to the design of this STEAM school; how the architects collaborated with the community on theme, programming, aesthetic and function. They provide examples of workshop implementation that will inspire user input, and demonstrate how architecture becomes a teacher.