Architecture for the Birds

The festive season is upon us and we are looking forward to the annual TruexCullins holiday party.   Mark your calendar for Wednesday December 5th for a friendly celebration with food, drink ... and birdhouses.  (VIEW THE BIRD HOUSE EXHIBIT)

This year we will be showcasing a collection of unique birdhouses designed and built by TruexCullins staff and friends.  The creative works of avian architecture will be up for silent auction during the reception, with all proceeds going to benefit the King Street Center.  Guests may also vote for their favorite birdhouse as part of the People’s Choice competition.

The TruexCullins holiday party is open to all clients and friends of the firm (and readers of the blog).  We hope to see you on Battery Street next Wednesday.  And if you would like to build a birdhouse for the auction, there’s still time.  Submissions may be dropped off at our office for Carmen George by Monday December 1st.

Digital Crayon: Article 7 - Technology in Schools

posted by David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP

In our last conversation, we looked at the Learning Commons (aka Library) and started discussing technology. This is a subject worth spending a little more time on. While schools we work with are all increasingly integrating technology into the learning experience, they are all at different parts of the journey. Some have one-to-one laptop programs, some have laptop carts, others a few hardwired computers in each classroom. Some have all of the above!

A decent percentage of the schools have a technology plan. Like a strategic plan, this plan lays out the school’s goals and approach over a fixed period of time. However, the technology is changing so fast that these plans often become obsolete quickly

Let’s first talk about laptops. The first issue affecting facilities was the need for charging stations. Some schools have carts, others  have put outlets in lockers. Recently, we have heard of some schools who put the responsibility on the students to do this at home. This depends of course on battery life. We suspect with the advent of solid state hard drives and longer battery life, this issue will go away.
Laptops generally run on a wireless network. Concern has been raised by some schools about the health effects of wireless technology. As far as we have read, the evidence is not conclusive. However, the concerns are real. Wireless technology can be less reliable than wired networks and can’t support large file transfers as readily.

Laptop carts have become quite popular. This is a mobile cart holding 20-25 laptops that several classes can share. As a result, we have been converting some computer labs back into classroom space. The two areas where this is not possible is with young students (Pre-K, K, 1) and High School video editing labs. The younger kids can’t carry the laptops around easily. Video editing requires fairy robust desktop computers to process the large files.
This brings us to tablets. To date, we have not seen wide spread adoption of a one-to-one program with a tablet but we are sure it's coming. With their relatively low cost, low weight and long battery life, they seem a natural for the school environment.

Many students, especially in high school, own their own device(s) and prefer using them to school issued equipment. As a result, some schools have a BYOD (bring your own device) approach to technology, investing their resources in an infrastructure that allows many types of devices to access the network, digital curriculum and printing options.

In this rapidly evolving environment, the key to a successful approach is flexibility. Focusing on providing the infrastructure to support multiple platforms will help keep the school ready for the next new device. Easy access to power and data outlets, wireless, network resources, internet, printers and most importantly the school’s educational and communication tools are always good investments amidst the changing digital landscape.

Next Article - Article 8 - Sustainability - Coming in two weeks!

Last Article - Article 6 - The Learning Commons

  

Digital Crayon: Article 6 - The Learning Commons

posted by David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP

Last article we discussed 21st century learning concepts and their impact on school design. Nowhere is this more relevant these days than in libraries. It seems as though every one of our schools is grappling with how to transform their libraries into a “Learning Commons”. 

In our work and research, we have come to understand the learning commons as a place where students can learn in a variety of settings. Those settings can range from an active social space with food and comfy furniture to quiet spaces for individuals and groups. Technology is widely available to support their learning, including printing, copying and tech support. Learning Support services may also be located in the Learning Commons. This concept, while in flux, is in contrast with the notion of the Library as a repository of knowledge (i.e. books).

There is no recipe for the Learning Commons and each school approaches it different ways. It may be possible to co-locate a school wide feature such as a café near the library to create a social space. Think of retail bookstore design a la Barnes & Nobles. This is a case where successful commercial ventures are leading the direction of library design. Other schools are looking for an outdoor component for their Learning Commons experience.

One area where there is widespread head scratching is the role of technology in the new library. How many books should there be? What is the role of e-books, tablets and computers? Our experience is there are fairly divergent ideas about where we are heading. More on that in the next installment.

Next Post - Article 7 - Technology in Schools 

Last Post - Article 5 - 21st Century Learning

TruexCullins Welcomes Marjorie Dickstein

TruexCullins Architecture and Interior Design welcomes seasoned architect Marjorie K. Dickstein, AIA, LEED® AP as Project Manager. She is a resident of Starkboro, and the daughter of Sue and Richard Dickstein of Williston, Vermont.

Dickstein graduated from Yale University with a Master of Architecture. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental Design from Parsons School of Design. She also has a Bachelor of Arts from Eugene Lang College of the New School for Social Research, with a concentration in Urban Studies. Dickstein was an adjunct faculty in the Department of Furniture Design at Rhode Island School of Design.

She is a licensed architect in Vermont and Connecticut, and a registered interior designer in Connecticut. She has served on the Development Review Board in Starksboro, Vermont since 2010.