i+D - September/October 2021 - 28

Contributors
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The best-informed design professionals are those
who expand their creative talents through a lifelong study
of new methods and materials, then lend that ever-evolving
knowledge to optimize the scholastic environments of
students of all ages and ability levels. The authors in this
edition of i+D, which focuses on the timely topic of design
in education, offer their surprisingly similar perspectives
and memories, as well as the lessons they learned from the
accomplished professionals interviewed for their articles.
- Linda K. Monroe
1. Danine Alati, An Incubator for Creatives
Danine had no idea that Portland, Maine, was
such a hive of creative energy until she started
researching the city for " Design Pulse " (p. 18). " A
PR person I spoke with called the city 'an incubator
for creatives,' and that really seems to resonate, "
she explains. " I interviewed five fascinating
personalities that span various facets of design, and
I appreciated hearing why each is fueled creatively
by the city they call home. " When asked about her
own perspective on design in educational settings,
Danine has a definite viewpoint. " Access to natural
light has to be the single most important element in
education design. While some teachers might think
windows in a classroom create a distraction or
encourage daydreaming, I see it as a means to foster
creativity...[just] as daylight enhances my mood
and productivity as a writer. "
2. Anna Zappia, Giving Back
One of Anna's favorite projects-which highlights
access to sunlight and the outdoors-is the Guerin
Family Institute for Advanced Sciences by Lehrer
Architects LA. " The architects overhauled a series
of rooms to create lab and maker space with
skylights, terraces, and views of the surrounding
landscape. It's a great example of how design
can be used to enhance students' wellbeing and
improve their education experience, " she states.
With respect to her " Business of Design " article on
design internship and scholarship programs (p. 24),
Anna believes a move to online during the pandemic
increased the number of participants from diverse
backgrounds. " The more students we have learning
about various careers in the industry, the better, "
she affirms. " We need creative voices that will help
shape the future and bring new ideas and products
to the table. "
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3. Brian Libby, Class in Session
When writing about good educational design
(p. 32), Brian says he thought back to the
September/October 2020 i+D article he penned
about best practices in corrections design. " Whether
you're an innocent young student or an adult who
has made some mistakes, everyone responds well
by being connected with our senses to the world
beyond, " he offers, recalling his own memories
of " both the good (lots of windows and views) and
bad classrooms (lots of drywalls) I experienced in
my younger days. " The most important aspects of
design in any environment, he suggests, are about
connections. " Just as we're seeing in office design,
where shared meeting spaces and outdoor amenity
areas are becoming bigger and more important
pieces of the puzzle, so too is educational design
about blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor
spaces where people can come together. "
4. Diana Mosher, Balancing Act
" The next generation of interior designers is in
good hands, " asserts Diana, after writing her article
about educating tomorrow's designers (p. 40).
" The curriculum at each school I spoke to includes
a carefully crafted mix of creative and skill-based
classes. We are lucky that online design education
was already under way when the pandemic hit;
this made it easier to get up to speed quickly and is
leading to new hybrid offerings that will live on past
COVID. " She agrees with other authors in this issue
that natural light is imperative in good classroom
design. " Research has shown the relationship
between natural light (or artificial lighting that
mimics natural sunlight) and students' school
attendance, achievement, and overall wellness. "
And, when outdoor views are nonexistent, Diana
recommends incorporating access to such biophilic
elements " as natural greenery or a green wall. "
i+D - September/October 2021
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Image 1: Juan Parra/
Image 2: Anna Zappia/
Image 3: Grace Kook-Anderson/
Image 4: Rashidah De Vore/
Image 5: Kirk Condyles/
Image 6: Kelley Klein
5. Ambrose Clancy, ICONic Profile: Ellen Fisher
When speaking with Ellen Fisher for this edition's
" ICONic Profile " (p. 46), Ambrose was impressed
by her dedication and innovative ideas. Plus,
Ellen " isn't afraid to cut against the grain of
accepted thought. " Case in point is how seemingly
progressive ideas in educational design may not
always work. " While the idea of teaching young
students outdoors is a great concept, as Ellen
pointed out, distractions are endless for kids and
focusing on learning suffers. Also, [she shared] the
need for walls, not just windows, in an elementary
classroom, since the teacher has to hang up things,
including students' work, " he adds. " As for my own
experiences, I remember my first day in high school
and the liberation I felt that I would go to different
classrooms throughout the day and not just be shut
up in one room like I was in elementary school. "
6. Jessica Goldbogen Harlan, Sound Advice
Jessica notes her personal revelations about
education design have been validated by a
somewhat unexpected source: her daughter, who
just started ninth grade at a public high school.
" Her recently renovated building is full of natural
light and outdoor spaces, which is obviously
more important than ever so students can eat
lunch outside, " Jessica remarks. " A school that is
beautifully designed and is pleasant to be in can
give its occupants a sense of pride and a desire
to actually be there. My kid's school is proof-
enrollment has nearly doubled in the years since it
was renovated! " For her " Material Matters " article
on acoustics (p. 48), Jessica likens her interviews
to " a crash course in the science of acoustics. "
She says, " One aha moment was when one of my
sources pointed out that you don't often notice
good acoustics in a space, but you certainly notice
bad acoustics. "
i+D - September/October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i+D - September/October 2021
