Assists art instructors in complying with hazardous waste management, and to expand the focus of educational standards for the arts to include basic environmental, health and safety training information on the hazardous materials, hazardous substances, and hazardous waste found in various art mediums and processes. Sections cover hazardous waste management basics, hazardous waste generator requirements, and then dangers and safety suggestions for each of a wide variety of art and craft activities. Appendices offer advice on types of waste, best management practices, forms, and additional resources. 130p.

This LEED-platinum rated arts school for at-risk youth in Boston makes the connection between sustainability and the arts. The three story, 23,500 square foot building is comprised of studios, a large gallery, and offices. This describes the design process, the construction process, site, energy, water, building materials, financial aspects, education and outreach. 32p.

Presents an investigative post-occupancy evaluation of five school museums using a facilities assessment instrument entitled "Appraisal Guide for a Museum Resource Center Building Program." This appraisal guide represented a model for a school museum. The appraisal guide and site interview questions were used as the framework for the gathering of data in this study. Two of the museums in this study were described as separate facilities within a high school and three were defined as separate facilities within a school system. One of the three facilities within a school system received the highest percentage score on the appraisal guide for being closest to the model. None of the facilities in this study had a dark ride, a separate conservation laboratory, an open storage area, or a shop section. All five of the museums in this study had in common the need for more space. The post-occupancy evaluations of the five school museums in this study described, judged, and explained the performance of each facility. The development of the appraisal guide and its use in the post-occupancy evaluations of the five museums provided examples on an item-per-item basis of design patterns that were adaptable to high schools. 299p.

This article compares the messages contained in the physical environments of early childhood classrooms in Reggio Emilia, Italy, with typical early childhood settings in Canada and the United States. The article examines the classroom’s "aesthetic code,", i.e., the social construction created, consciously or unconsciously, by the classroom’s environment and its impact on student feelings and social perception. The author discusses how these "codes" reflect each culture’s image of the child, cultural values in general, and broad educational goals. Concluding comments explore the implications that these classroom codes have for art educators. 10p.

This manual of facility guidelines examines the planning process and design features and considerations for public school fine arts programs in Maryland. Planning concepts and trends are highlighted followed by planning guidelines for dance, music, theater, visual arts, general education, and performance spaces. General design considerations discussed include facility accessibility, acoustics, climate control and energy conservation, indoor air quality, community use of the school, security and safety, and telecommunications systems. Appendices contain the requirements for fine arts instruction programs, Maryland arts organizations, and the Maryland State Department of Education standards for telecommunication distribution systems. 75p.

Ensuring a safe and hazard-free classroom should begin with a thorough inventory and understanding of the existing conditions. This is an outline of questions that should be asked when collecting that information. Includes a description of twenty things art teachers can do to make their classrooms hazard-free. 2p.

This guide offers general design proposal guidance for sports and arts spaces in England's primary schools, where these types of spaces can be used by both school and community members. It presents case studies and detailed specifications for the multipurpose main hall. It also discusses ways to deal with dual use design challenges in order to promote higher design quality and allow for innovation. Practical everyday design considerations also addressed include security, accessibility for disabled persons, health and safety, and environmental issues. 21p.

Suggests facilities necessary to conduct instruction in four distinct subject areas: dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts. Discusses common facilities elements, such as sound management, sound isolation, acoustical design, teacher workstations, and performance facilities. Features teaching facilities for dance, music (general, choral, and instrumental), and support facilities. Covers the theater arts, including the black box arena and the laboratory/auditorium, and the visual arts. Sample plans and additional resources are included. 85p.

This reference document for public school facility designers addresses arts education programs and the facilities that support them. Some sections focus on concepts and features common to most or all arts education subject areas, such as sound management, acoustical design, teacher workstations, and performance facilities. Other sections describe requirements unique to the individual areas of dance, music, theater arts, and visual arts. Concluding sections provide floor plans that illustrate spaces ideal for maximum implementation of the standard state course of study in areas of general and instrumental music, dance, and theater arts. Additional resources are listed. 51p.

The report provides information about how school districts developed and sustained arts education in the face of the enormous pressure to prove the success of their schools by accountability measures that focus largely on reading, mathematics, and writing. It documents practices used by the school districts to address staffing, program, facilities, and resource needs. The central finding of this report is that the critical factor in sustaining arts education in schools is the active involvement of influential segments of the community in shaping and implementing the policies and programs from each school district. 93p.

This guide provides practical information for the orderly distribution, collection, and storage of art materials. Hints for working with various media, creating basic art lessons, and managing cleanup procedures are given. The guide includes reproducible worksheets, schedules, charts, and other forms. A final section offers plans for construction of storage units and equipment. 114p.

This document provides a framework for accommodation of art and design in British secondary schools, concentrating on the needs of 11- to 16-year-old pupils. Section 1 outlines the range of teaching and non-teaching spaces likely to be required and key planning issues. Section 2 describes each teaching and non-teaching space and illustrates furnished plans of typical spaces. Section 3 provides guidance on a typical range of furniture and suggests ways of using this to establish a flexible environment. Section 4 summarizes the main regulations, providing a reference for further reading and guidance on the lighting of art rooms. Section 5 describes new and adapted art departments in four existing schools. Finally, Section 6 covers general cost issues and includes a case study cost analysis. 62p.

This online manual includes chapters on a health and safety program; hazard communication; emergency procedures; laws and regulations; general precautions; personal protective equipment; fire safety; waste management, and general safety.

The National Art Education Association (NAEA) began work on this general planning reference for school art facilities in 1989. The final publication represents the views of a broad-based constituency, including school districts and state education agencies. Photographs of existing facilities are used throughout the guide along with sample floor plans. Section 1, "Planning an Art Room: Introduction," sets forth standards for elementary, middle/junior, or senior high school art rooms. Section 2, "General Specifications," covers space; location; lighting; walls/floors; acoustics; sinks; security; barrier-free design; safety; and audiovisual equipment, computers, and multimedia. Section 3, "Specialized Art Rooms," includes facility requirements for photography, ceramics, kiln room, teacher office and work station, storage areas, resource library, and technology. Listed are sources, agencies, manufacturers, organizations, and state and federal offices that should be utilized for current data and information. 42p.

This guide covers artroom health and safety hazards, precautions and protection, and curriculum and legal concerns. An appendix describes health and safety equipment and material sources. 120p.

In planning for an arts facility for a private school, it is necessary to consider the proposal's appropriateness to the student body, curriculum, and community. An architect should be selected who is imaginative and considers the needs of the people using the facility. In general, spaces should be kept open and flexible and there should be more space planned for than is needed at the outset. The facility should include teaching areas, studios, a gallery, and performance areas. Enthusiastic financial support from alumni, parents, and friends will facilitate applying for aid from other sources, such as an arts commission or private foundations. 9p.

Profiles the conversion of 19th-century estate stables into art, historic preservation, and theatre teaching spaces at Salve Regina University.

Profiles 33 outstanding new specialized school facilities selected for their innovation, sustainability, security, aesthetics, and life-cycle costs. These include art, performing arts, athletic, student health, service, K-12, science, and other facilities. Project information and photographs are included. (The URL for this citation links to the searchable database of American School and University Magazine's school design awards.)

Reviews how the designers was able to wrap Yale University's sculpture building in a glass curtain wall, but achieve energy efficiency with sophisticated glazing and an innovative HVAC design that requires very little fan energy to move air.

Profiles this new visual arts facility at Washington University, consisting of two new buildings that create a unified complex along with existing buildings, one of which was designed by the same architect in 1960.

Profiles the renovated and expanded Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton, Ohio. The historic 1908 structure was preserved and reused to "wonderful advantage," and at a cost lower than demolition and construction of a new facility. Partial demolition made way for new spaces that accommodate contemporary music education, and administrative and common areas were relocated to more accessible parts of the building.

Describes Brisbane Girls Grammar School's new Creative Learning Centre, conceived to group arts studies which were previously scattered across the campus and to serve all students as a meeting place and technology hub. The building is specifically designed to provide the most flexible and innovative environment for teenaged girls, having special regard for the way girls learn and interact socially. The unique design also helps ensure protection from Brisbane's hot and humid environment.

Profiles the new Museum of the North at the University of Alaska. The structure encloses a boxy pre-existing museum and is design to emulate the jagged contours of glaciers. Plans, photographs, and a list of project participants are included.

Profiles an addition to the Benedicta Arts Center at the College of Saint Benedict. The beloved 1964 structure was respected by the addition, in spite of the difficulty matching the unique exterior of the original structure. Plans, photographs, and a list of project participants are included.

Describes the extensive additions and renovations that the Denver School of the Arts made to the higher education fine arts center that it bought, making it a highly sought-after venue for study. Proper adjacencies for performing arts spaces are discussed, as are lessons learned from the creation of this school.

Reviews the role and history of art museums on higher education campuses, citing notable established facilities, recent additions, and renovations. The evolving relationship of the university museum to curriculum and public outreach is covered.

Case studies, including project description, project team, and photographs, of the following schools: Perspectives Charter School, Chicago, IL, Perkins+Will; Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy, NJ, John Ronan Architect; Community School of Music and Arts, Mountain View, CA, Mark Cavagnero Associates; Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Kirkland, WA, Mahlum Architects; Lick Wilmerding High School, San Francisco, CA,Pfau Architecture, Ltd; Clifton Middle School, Monrovia, CA Osborn; Building 9, Wildwood Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA, Cigolle X Coleman; Architects; and Bronx Charter School for the Arts, Bronx, N.Y.,Weisz + Yoes Architecture;

Describes this new visual and performing arts center at an alternative private high school. The facility evokes modern and vernacular design, and blends in with its rustic New England setting. A listing of the design and construction participants, plans, and photographs are included.

Describes the conversion of a World War II-era wind tunnel building into an higher education art teaching facility. Windows and skylights were cut into the thick-walled, concrete walls and roof. Includes photographs, plans, and project information.

Describes two new higher education arts facilities: The Arts & Humanities Complex at Florida Gulf Coast University, which serves 1366 students of art, music, drama, and dance. The Mount Holyoke College Art Museum and art building possesses art, whose security and environmental standards meet the highest standards for art display and storage.

Reviews the avant-garde Sharpe Centre for Design at the Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto. The building consists of a horizontal slab poised at 85 feet above street level on twelve colored columns, and contains new classroom, studio, office, and research space. Photographs, sectional views, and a site plan are included

In this article, the author talks about art in the classroom. He urges teachers to envision their classroom as a balance between inspiration and meditation, clutter and clarity, excitement and introspection. Remember that each student has a unique threshold for stimulation--what inspires one student to productive creativity may well trigger the next into unrestrained acting out. Teachers want students to approach an edge, a creative zone if you will, where motivation compels students to explore their world and express their understandings with passion and sensitivity. On this side of that zone is boredom; on the far side is chaos. It is along the safe side of that edge that teachers create.

Describes the recent addition to Toronto's Ontario College of Art & Design, consisting of a horizontal slab poised at 85 feet above street level on twelve colored columns. The addition contains new classroom, studio, office, and research space. Photographs, sectional views, a floor plan, building statistics, and a listing of the design and construction participants are included.

The author of this article, an art teacher at Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado, describes how her experience teaching in a new school presented an exciting visual challenge for an art teacher--monotonous brick walls just waiting for decoration. This school experienced only minimal instances of graffiti, but as an art teacher, she did see an interest in graffiti in student sketchbooks. This observation, combined with this art teacher's drive to improve the visual environment of the school led to the development of a wall art unit, focusing on graffiti and murals.

Presents educational exhibition space/galleries considered outstanding in a competition which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent 2 days reviewing projects, highlighting concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. For each citation, the article offers information on the firm, client, area, cost, total cost/square foot, cost of project entry category, cost/square foot of project entry category, and completion date.

Sought to determine if the physical design of learning environments can foster a sense of student ownership in the learning process. Found that the stronger students' perceptions are that their artwork can be permanently displayed, the greater their sense of ownership.

Most of the $12 million for the new Walnut Hills High School Arts and Science Center in Cincinnati, Ohio was raised by private donations from the Walnut Hills Alumni Foundation. The remarkable fund-raising campaign represents the nation’s largest privately financed, public school capital project. The design of the 59,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art learning facility features upgraded science labs and arts studios, indoor/outdoor learning opportunities, new wiring, and flexible spaces.

Describes the design of the building named in the title. Includes photographs.

Describes the design of the creative arts building named in the title, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on architects, consultants, suppliers, and cost, as well as floor plans and photographs. Discusses how the modern structure fits into the campus.

Describes the design of the academic arts building at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, including its black box theater, art classroom, computer graphics lab, gallery, video production area, and chorus classroom.

Describes the academic arts and natatorium buildings of the high school named in the title, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team; a general building description; and a case study of construction costs and specifications. Also provides the floor plan and photographs.

This looks at the need to include the design of school buildings and other physical aspects of the learning environment when attempting to transform pedagogy and make other systemic reforms. The article explores how deeply held cultural assumptions, physically manifested in how space is organized, allocated, and used in schools, influenced one elementary school's efforts to implement a voluntarily adopted arts-based initiative known as the A+ Schools Program. This article presents an ethnographic case study of Rolling Meadow Elementary School (a pseudonym) that illustrates the school's struggles and successes with two simultaneous and sometimes conflicting reforms, the A+ Schools Program and an accountability system mandated by the state, the ABCs of Public Education. The intent of this paper is to show how Rolling Meadow serves as an example of how reform implementation can introduce new spatial challenges and inhibit implementation.

This article includes a description, photographs, and floor plans of the Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource (FAIR) Arts Middle School in Crystal, Minnesota, winner of a 2001 AIA Minnesota Honor Award, This arts-magnet middle school creates a lively learning environment with bright interiors and whimsical exterior forms.

Pastel colors and childlike whimsy shape this school for the arts by Hammel Green and Abrahamson, Inc. The design of the facility was developed in tandem with the curriculum to ensure an alignment between philosophy and building function. The areas of focus were dance, music, theater, visual arts, media arts, and literary arts. The building contains specialized and flexible studio spaces for all of these. Describes the title school building, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team; a general building description; and a commentary on the design. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. [Free subscriber registration is required.]

Describes Davis, Fuster Arquitectos' design of an arts school in Puerto Rico as a sequence of light-dappled loggias and sun-drenched courtyards. Describes the title school building, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team; a general building description; and a commentary on the design. Also includes the floor plan and photographs.

This arts school is built as a sequence of loggias and courtyards. The complex program for some 900 students, K-12, included a 500-seat auditorium; a variety of music practice rooms; studios for painting, sculpture, and printmaking; and studios for dance, along with the expected variety of support spaces. Describes the title school building, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team; a general building description; and a commentary on the design. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. [Free subscriber registration is required.]

Shows design features of the K-8 Arts Magnet School in New Haven, Connecticut, that allow the facility to be used as a learning tool. Also explores ways to bring artistic energy into the building design through collaboration with local artists.

Examines how Walnut Hills High Schools (Cincinnati, OH) new Arts and Science Center was designed to students' and teachers' specifications. Facility assessment and planning are discussed, concluding with comments on the new facility's impact on education.

Explores why art teachers include various objects and resources in their classroom environments. Focuses on different categories of art teachers: (1) high priest (concerned with personal expression); (2) technocrats (concerned with exploration); (3) social workers (concerned with social awareness); and (4) pedagogues (concerned with developing the aesthetic responses of students).

While arts facilities should be equipped with computers, color scanners, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) labs, connective video cameras, and appropriate software, music rooms still need pianos and visual art rooms need traditional art supplies. Dade County (Florida) Schools's pilot teacher assistance projects and arts-centered schools are profiled.

Discusses how one school put the wasted space in its football stadium to use as meeting places for various district and community activities, a black box theater, and space for displaying student art. Playing field quality and high-tech amenities that enhance team coaching and play and the public's enjoyment of the sporting events are highlighted.

As the arts make a comeback in the nation's elementary schools, a new national study shows how they can command more time—and more space. One of the key measures that the study's research team used to assess a school district's commitment to arts education was the appropriateness of its arts facilities. Many districts (like District 28 in Tempe, Arizona) that made major cuts in their arts programs in the 1980s have rebuilt them only to be challenged by burgeoning student populations. Some, like one Colorado district, have begun sharing arts facilities with community organizations. Community support is essential.

Combining the School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), Schiel Primary School for the Arts, professional performance and visual arts forums, and community arts activities is the vision of the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center (GCAEC). The dream takes the notion of schools with community-use spaces to a higher level by integrating professional artists, community members and students in mentoring relationships.

Examines the design of a new library/art facility at a San Francisco high school that complemented the school's contemporary academic program and reputation for excellence. The planning and architectural strategies are discussed as are the technological and convenience additions designed to meet greater student needs.

Describes the planning process used to develop a new arts facility at Xavier College Prep, a high school for young women in Arizona. Reviews the need for a new facility and presents the working plan, indicating that it will include classrooms, a dance studio, music practice rooms, and an auditorium.

Looks at the impact of the classroom environment on student emotions and behavior, offering suggestions for using the physical features of the environment to calm or stimulate students. Shows how the factors of environmental arousal, classroom robustness, and spatial settings may be used to create art classrooms that minimize chances for confusion, distraction, and misbehavior.

Described are case studies illustrating chemical hazards in a photography lab due to compounds containing cyanide. Suggestions for preventing problems including proper procedures, housekeeping, facilities, and ventilation are considered.

Described is an index method that will help art teachers design, maintain, and control art classroom settings. The following topics are also discussed: the historical background for environments, the emerging role of the classroom environment, humane qualities in the classroom, and flexible qualities in the classroom.

Describes spatial, pedagogical, and psychological dimensions of the pottery studio as an art learning environment. Contends that the art learning environment, at its deeper levels, is determined by the philosophic meanings and underlying attitudes of student and instructor as conveyed in their speech and writing.

The effects of the arrangements and use of physical space in the art classroom is discussed. Settings can be purposefully designed to suggest certain meanings as well as exert control over the amount and kind of communication that will occur within them.

Discusses the danger of toxic fumes from common art materials and the importance of an adequate ventilation system in the art room.

This article is intended to help school districts evaluate and monitor safety in the art classroom. It lists the responsibilities of administrators, teachers, students, and custodians. It suggests safety standards for the art facility and for use of tools, safety equipment, and hazardous materials.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on the design and layout of school classrooms.

NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles regarding the identification, treatment, storage, and removal of hazardous materials found in school buildings and grounds.