Architecture for Achievement: Building Patterns for Small School Learning

Schools across the United States have increasingly decided that "small is beautiful." Yet school planners confront crucial facilities challenges as they create smaller, more personalized learning communities that boost student achievement. Here, a team of experienced architects and educators charts a practical and elegant path through the maze of decisions encountered in a school building conversion project. Filled with examples from the field, Architecture for Achievement sets out a "pattern language" with which planners can explore the architectural details that will make or break their school's design. This network of basic principles sheds light on a wide range of issues, helping readers work out a coherent vision of what their own school requires, and why. Architecture for Achievement combines striking visual models with concise architectural explanations and practical advice - and sets all of this in the context of thoughtful school change. For teachers, community members, contractors, school board members, designers, and all those who participate in the project, it guides the way to a place that supports all students in learning.