LEARNING BY DESIGN Judges Praise Innovative Designs
Five distinguished judges met for two days in Alexandria, VA, last fall to examine and discuss volumes of school, college, university, and specialized educational facility projects. Jury Panel Chair Sean O’Donnell, AIA, LEED AP, principal, Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects, and others on the jury who had reviewed Learning By Design competitions in the past noted a discernable uptick in the quality of design projects in this year’s competition—the best kind of trend when it comes to enriching learning environments for the nation’s students.
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| Learning By Design judges Sean O’Donnell (left) and John Chadwick discuss a project’s site plan, a key element in the competition’s review process. |
Others who served on the LEARNING BY DESIGN 2009 jury panel were: H. Alan Brangman, AIA, university architect, Georgetown University; John Chadwick, AIA, principal, Perkins Eastman Architects PC; Judy Marks, associate director, National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities; and Isaac Williams, assistant professor, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland.
Judges awarded 21 awards altogether in 2009—one Grand Prize Award, 14 Citations of Excellence, and six Honorable Mention Awards. Of those, five are included in this year’s Green Special Section. However, judges noted that more and more design and construction projects are including sustainable strategies, whether or not they are considered green projects.
Learning By Design judges also offered several tips for next year’s entrants:
• Include high-quality, color photos of the facilities with students using them.
• Include complete site plans, with at least one plan that includes the surrounding area, so they can see the facility’s context.
• Address the relationship between the facility and the community.
• Include a complete description of the planning and design process.
• Discuss the project’s specific challenges and how the facility’s design provides solutions.
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