School Ways

In the current debate over the quality and direction of public education in the United States, there is an urgent need for reliable information and creative thinking that can serve as a foundation for effective decision making. Nowhere is this more important than in the planning, design, and construction of educational facilities. The initial volume in McGraw-Hill's Architectural Record Portfolio Series, this beautifully illustrated book is the first major reference on the design and construction of K-12 schools to be published in more than a decade. Containing more than 350 superb illustrations, many in full color, School Ways draws upon award-winning educational projects featured in Architectural Record magazine, plus a wealth of entirely new material on subjects ranging from building types to emerging trends and new technology. This essential sourcebook begins with an incisive look at the current and projected market for educational facilities. It then presents a concise illustrated history of educational facilities from the one-room schoolhouse to the high-tech high school, as well as a pictorial review of facilities built since 1985, showing their response to programming, the influence of the past, and trends that are still emerging. Readers will find examples of new projects that are on the drawing board or contemplated for urban facilities, specialized and magnet schools, prototype schools, and new facilities for gifted students and those with special needs. Wide-ranging and authoritative, this comprehensive reference presents profiles of the best designed schools of the last decade; 16 pages of full-color photographs of award-winning designs; new trends in school layouts; essential programming information on space needs, classroom size, and other design criteria; design tips for accommodating computers and audio-visual equipment; and guidance on organizing the programming and design phases of school construction. In addition, this practical reference tool explains how to prepare long-range facility plans, how to inventory and evaluate existing facilities, and how to prepare educational specifications. The volume also offers readers a detailed summary and directory of information and planning resources. With its unique historical coverage, expert design material, and extensive illustrations, School Ways is now an indispensable guide to current and future directions in the design and building of public schools. The book offers architects, school planners, and concerned citizens the solid information on design trends and philosophies they need to make informed decisions in this vitally important field.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.