School Design

Green graphic with headshot of Jeff Vincent for The Planning Commission podcast.

Big Box Schools with Jeff Vincent: The Planning Commission Podcast

Why are new school campuses antithetical to everything we promote about what constitutes good planning?

January 5, 2024 - The Pllanning Commission Podcast

Protest

Keeping Our Children Safe After the Parkland High School Shooting

In the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Florida, the debate has been wide-ranging, from gun safety to arming teachers. All agree students must be safe, so why not look at architecture? The NRA has some tips.

February 28, 2018 - The Architects Newspaper

Children Playing

A Call for Reimagined Schoolyards

In recent years, tactical urbanism has helped reinvent many streets and sidewalks in center cities, creating new public spaces. But many spaces remain untouched. Anuj Gupta argues that reinvented schoolyards can be the next great public spaces.

March 8, 2015 - Philadelphia Magazine

facade of college for creative studies in downtown detroit

Using Mixed‐Use Education to Build Communities

Urban Planning is rarely seen as a remedy for the state of the education system. However, thoughtful community design that integrates schools in new ways can lead to successful learning environments and vibrant communities.

August 20, 2013 - Tinka Rogic

classroom-australia

New Study Shows Impact of School Design on Grades

A new study out of England provides the first "holistic assessment" linking school design to learning rates. "[S]chool layouts can influence a child’s development by as much as 25 percent over the course of an academic year," reports Ian Steadman.

January 6, 2013 - Wired UK

Could Fortress-Like Schools Prevent Shootings?

The mass shooting at Newton, Connecticut brought gun control, violence in TV and video games, and mental health care to the forefront of a national debate. As talk turns to school design, architects consider the tradeoffs of fortress-like schools.

January 2, 2013 - Architectural Record

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.