i+s Editor-in-Chief Carrie Meadows on Inspiring and Innovative Educational Design Approaches

Autumn is by far my favorite time of year. Although spring is generally associated with renewal, this season has always brought me to that state of mind. During my school years, moving up to the next grade signified a transition to new experiences and opportunities. And this new-to-me design vantage point is a continuing (and fascinating) education. So it’s fitting that my first full cycle working on i+s coincides with September/October’s focus on educational environments.

One of the most compelling articles in this issue brings the topic of student well-being into focus. Interior designer Deb Kolesar uses examples of the latest Moody Nolan education projects to illustrate how designing schools that prioritize wraparound services supports social, emotional, and physical well-being—setting students up for success and personal growth.

Contributing writer Jennie Morton details how Stantec developed a templated approach to help Maryland’s Prince George’s County School System fast-track six new builds within a public-private finance bundle. Several of the schools were based on a prototype floorplan, leveraging a large communal area, open-concept library, single classroom design, and other replicable elements. The design team then layered color and pattern to establish each facility’s identity. The resulting facilities demonstrate that modern and equitable design can be achieved economically when the building model breaks the mold by...well, I don’t think you need me to explain the irony there.

Meanwhile, editor Lauren Brant outlines how JCJ Architecture designed a Connecticut high school with flexible, multifunctional spaces, more modular classrooms, and improved access for community members and nearby middle schoolers to take advantage of event spaces.

In addition to innovative school designs, this issue highlights the strides that the design industry keeps making to inform, grow, and improve.

For instance, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) offers a blended learning resource that supports design professionals who aim to achieve NCIDQ certification, while alumni of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Design Your World program share opportunities and perspectives the program opened to them.

Finally, FCArchitects associate Rachel Ryan translates life and work adaptations from the pandemic era into mindful design choices. These lessons were applied to the firm’s new head office in an effort to re-engage employees with an approachable and adaptable space, and the results are illuminating, whether you’re reconfiguring existing spaces or planning out a new build.

I look forward to continuing this education in design with purpose alongside you, and evolving the content i+s offers to meet your needs for inspiration and information.