Magnet schools emerged on the K-12 scene as early as the 1960s to establish a public education option that met multiple goals: attracting a diverse student body from across a school district, supporting students with specific interests, and offering equitable…
While bullying, mental health, and other acts of violence are all too common in schools today, designers have shown that smart and subtle preventive steps can make a big difference. In the following, Clark Nexsen’s Becky Brady shares how prevention…
The business case for prioritizing occupant well-being in building design is compelling. The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) cites attracting top talent, increasing productivity, and improving environmental, social or governance (ESG) performance as key outcomes of leveraging tools like their…
School design that prioritizes wellness enables the learning environment to support the whole student – physiologically, emotionally, and intellectually. In the following, Clark Nexsen K-12 design experts Aaron Brumo and Julie Leary share best practices for designing a school building…
According to a 2019 study by the U.S. Department of Education, students who focused on career and technical education (CTE) during high school had higher annual median earnings eight years after graduation than students who did not. That compelling statistic…
I sat down with Julie Leary, a senior architect in our Raleigh office, to talk about current trends in K-12 design and the future of adaptive, inclusive spaces for school communities. w 1. What are our clients talking or asking…
It is undisputable that spaces for collaboration, hands-on projects, and social interaction are among the most important elements for successful learning. But COVID-19 has shifted the focus from how best to teach to feasibility and safety issues surrounding teachers and…
Safety in schools continues to be a topic of everyday conversation. While there are many ways to improve school safety, these often focus on physical changes to the school environment and, as a result, are difficult to achieve unless there…
Why fit in when you can stand out? While it seems simple, this question challenges us to create new paradigms and transcend the mundane. Whatever the medium, innovation is key. At Clark Nexsen, our methods are constantly evolving through practice…
The creation of spaces for outdoor learning and experiences is gaining traction in K-12 school design. Looking beyond play time, growing recognition of the significant benefits associated with time spent outdoors is driving the integration and use of outdoor classrooms,…
In the conversation around school safety, active shooter scenarios still garner the most attention – but there is a valid argument to shift our focus to a more holistic, preventive approach by creating healthier school environments that encompass safety on…
In an age during which stories of bullying, school shootings, and mental health concerns are all too common, designers have a critical role to play in crafting K-12 schools that simultaneously promote engaged learning and student safety.