Rethinking Educational Design in New School Construction

"The primary impetus to new school construction, of course, typically involves relieving overcrowding or replacing outdated or dangerous facilities. Bradley (1996), however, in a study about the role of architecture in education, notes that the physical structure of a school has the potential to be a vehicle for change. In other words, the design. of school facilities can inspire alterations in the nature, quality, and future direction of what goes on inside. The present study sought to determine the extent to which five school systems in Virginia took advantage of building a new secondary school to address the need for fundamental educational change."