What Can Architects Do To Design Safer Classrooms For Our Children? Part 2: Ideas & Safety Tips For Schools
Posted: March 7, 2018 Filed under: Architecture, Design, Education, Higher Education - Architecture & Design, More FC3, Safety | Tags: Access Control, Active Shooter, AHC/CDC, AIA, Architect, Architecture, Blocked Entry, Board of Education, BOE, Building Code, Campus, Campus Police, Campus Safety, CCPR, Checklist, Child, Children, Classroom Door Security, Code, Current Events, Delayed Response, Design Professional, Designer, Door Barricades, Elementary Schools, eMBA, FDAI, FDHI, Fire Code, Fire Marshals, First Responder, First Response, Hardware, IBC, Integrated Design Process, Life Safety Code, MBA, National Center for Education Statistics, NCES, Parent, Problem, Problem Solver, Protect Our Children, PTO, Safety, Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, School, School Security, School Voilence, Teachers Union, The National Association of School Psychologists NASP, Unauthorized Engagement, University Architect, Voilence, White Paper, Wicked Problem Leave a comment
Photo Source: The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
Safety Experts and Architects recommend that schools:
- Build a sturdy set of double doors at front entrance to control access.
- Position classrooms away from the front entrance.
- Install an intercom and a sturdy transaction window at front entrance.
- Separate and clearly mark a parent drop-off lane and a bus lane.
- Keep parking lot a distance away from school.
- Glaze first-floor windows with bullet-proof film or glass.
- Remove parking space signs reserved for specific people, which can indicate whether an administrator is inside.
- Number classrooms with signs that are visible down inside hallways and from outside the building.
- Install locks on all classroom and office doors.
- Trim shrubbery or trees that hug the building
- Install surveillance cameras
- Place bollards in front of the school building
- Compartmentalize after-school activities in one part of the building so the rest of the building can be secured after-hours
Image Source: School Security – Threat And Vulnerability Assessments
Sources:
School Safety Infrastructure Council
Architecture and simple fixes can help improve school safety
Further Reading:
Door Barricades, Egress Requirements and Campus Safety
Look out for our next post about “What Architects Can Do to Design Safer Classrooms for Our Children.”
We would love to hear from you on what you think about this post. We sincerely appreciate all your comments – and – if you like this post please share it with friends. And feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss ideas for your next project!
Sincerely,
FRANK CUNHA III
I Love My Architect – Facebook
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