http://www.whatisblik.com/nintendo/

http://www.duncan-wilson.com/duncan_wilson_work_pixelnotes.htm

-xbox: http://www.duncan-wilson.com/duncan_wilson_work_psprca.htm

+The new school / Roth, Alfred, 1903-    LB3221 .R6 1958
+Schools / Perkins, Lawrence Bradford    LB3205 .P4

+Colour in architecture / Toy, Maggie    NA2795 .C465 1996

+Architecture in schools : a compendium of student work from ACSA member schools in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, 1912-1987 / Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture    NA2105 .A725 1989

+Educational facilities : 1995-96 review / American Institute of Architects. Committee on Architecture for Education    LB3218.A1 E36 1996
+Class architecture / Crosbie, Michael J.    LB3218.A1 C76 2001
+New schools for New York : plans and precedents for small schools / Princeton Architectural Press LB3221 .N436 1992

Modernised – less typical/ Eames/ Nelson designs for kids:
http://www.modernseed.com/studyspace.html?page=0&sf=&sd=#sortblock

Design Within Reach – category for stackable/less expensive chairs

http://www.dwr.com/category.cfm?subc=41

VS International – cool modular furnishings and setups especially for schools- US providers in North Carolina

http://www.vs-furniture.com/56.0.html?&L=1&FL=9

Xurret system- abalos+herreros architects- production escofet sa Barcelona

2) floor

Cao&Perrot studio- Andy Cao and Xavie Perrot

2) Isidro Blasto, ‘the lasting life of things ii’ installation

3)Droog design, Mandarino

4)Droog design

1)Amelia Elementary School, Virginia -

(nice idea for floor+shelf furniture)

2) Ventana Vista Elementary School, Arizona

- Classrooms are organised as villages, were each age group of student occupies its own village. Each village has its own landmark to guide children through the site. At the intersections of the villages are the common spaces, library and so on.

-also there is extensive blackboard use and innovative schoolyard idea, designed in levels.

• Schools from the book Class architecture, Michael J. Crosbie, Images Publishing 2001

1)Mary c Burke elementary school, HMFH

-fostering the idea of designing small communities that operate as separate entities, with their own public entrances and administrative areas. There are four schoolhouses that are distinguished between them by colourful geometrical patterns and colors.

-great idea of using interiors as a small ‘city’ with different facades for different classrooms

2) Crossroads elementary school, Cuningham Group, Minessota

-(montessori program)

- great idea of defining the common zone as the ‘inquiry zone’, an area for hands on learning and student display where all students interact!! This zone is brightly colored and provides with small units that work as open working cabinets.

3) Kennedy Elementary School, Wisconsin, Bray associates

-Here classrooms are grouped as neighborhoods!! So for example fifth graders have their own neighborhood to help their transition to middle school, while kindergarden and early childhood share a space close to the playground. Each neighborhood has a commons space for activities and shared learning, a room for teacher planning and a space for children with disabilities. the neighborhoods surround a central VILLAGE that contains the main commons, performance space, library and administrative offers.

4) Stanley Makowsi- Early childhood Center

-floor idea, auditorium like-

4) Strawberry Vale School, Patkau Architects

-this school located in Canada includes 16 classrooms, a gymnasium and a library. Classrooms are grouped in pods. Natural lighting is provided through the controlled placement of the windows, clerestories and skylights combined with reflective interior surfaces that distribute light evenly throughout the interior spaces.

-amazing, wooden interiors-

• from the book Harvard Educational Review, Architecture and Education

• from the book New Schools for small schools in New York, The Architectural League, Public Education Association, Princeton Architectural press

the projects in this catalogue are the result of an unusual exploration by 50 teams of architects, of what New York Schools would look like of they where to be smaller.

1) Washington Heights, Elementary school, HMFH architects

facing the problems of an urban school, that lives in a busy corner of a crowded neighborhood, this projects maximizes certain features that urban schools frequently lack- abundant natural light and outdoor playspace- and promotes community access and identification. the building is organised around a five story skylit atrium and features a community mural which would be designed by local artists creating an ongoing recaord of community names, images and events!

2) Sunset Park, Adam Gaon and Nick Isaak

-The interesting part in this design, is the innovative use of gardens inside the building, that function as playgrounds but also fit a sustainable design. Also, as most of the New York projects, there is an effort to connect to the local surroundings, the neighborhood. In relation to the above stands the ‘ classroom bar’ -whose metaphor and scale are derived from the neighboring brownstones.

2) Sunset Park, Curtis, Doern, Ginsberg

Apart from the ‘house’, ‘village’ looking classrooms and sections that we talked about in previous examples, what is particularly interesting in this project is the use of central atrium that fosters exhibitions and performances.

3)Washington heights, hypotenuse design

In this project, playgrounds and common areas are designed as separate oval spaces that stand out the square looking classrooms.

4)Moririsania, Yan Andre Leroy, Entrup Burkhard

An unusual concept. Circular classrooms float within the mountainous looking structure of the building.

5)Washington heights, Mark Demarta and Ted Sheridan

On one level the proposal tries to give to a child access to everyday objects seen in the urban industrial enviroment, by designing playground toys: helicopters, a subway car, a freight container a water tank. On another level this proposal makes playful gestures towards its surrounding environment, there is a spiral side that leads to the helicopter and so on.  A great example of how as a designer you can link with local and usually uninteresting surroundings in a creative way.

6)Morissania, Intergroup

The School House concept.- The sites relate to residents needs and have resources interchangeable with the needs of the community activities.

Steinberg sketches-

5) Acorn School, New York

more…

You can find a list with links to the lecturers work, here…

Below are pictures of three schools (250 students and under). Flexible, multiuse buildings that combines ecological ideas and construction with a playful design.

1) Hosmarinpuisto School

more pictures of the school here

2) The Aurinkonoulu School

3) Topparinmaen school

The Building
• An open and flexible learning centre
• Agora – the central square, which is the functional centre of the building: lunch room, library, assembly hall
• Classrooms are around the Agora
• Basic ideas: openness, transparency
• The architecture: visible structures

‘

‘The simplicity of elements, what the architect defines as plates (floors), tubes (columns) and skin (facade / exterior walls), allows for a complexity of activity and information systems. The diverse programming creates an intricate spatial rhythm which is defined by varying degrees of public spaces; communal spaces of activity and individual spaces of repose and solitude. ‘ The tubes look like a forest, growing in the flexible transparent cube. An excellent example of a playful yet simple solution for a multi-use space!

Bernard Tsumi- La Villete,Paris

Even though this is a public space project, I believe it can be very inspiring as to building modules for the school and what those could look like. The idea behind La Villete is a network of what the architect defines as ‘folies’ ( actions of crazyness ) , playful red pavilions that transform the space into a playground!

Two other projects I really like , are

the Miami School of architecture

and the ECAL School of Arts

bauhaus

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/Bauhaus.html/cid_1136145513_3_27.html

schools from finland ::::