Skip to Navigation

What's the Big Idea?

You know your school building better than almost any other building you use everyday day. Love it or hate it, because you spend a lot of time there, you must have opinions about the design of your school. Here are six great examples of school buildings around the country - each with a different big idea to teach.

Society

How do you help school kids connect to their neighborhood and also see a future beyond it? Give every classroom an amazing view.

More

Site

Plants, birds, and butterflies on the roof of a library? Check out the green roof and other green features at this California school.

More

Spaces

All schools have shelves for books, but this Seattle school was designed with innovative shelves to bounce and also block sunlight.

More

Systems

This pond at a Washington, DC school is designed to filter and recycle wastewater to be reused in the building's toilets.

More

Structure

The structure of this university athletic center is more like a giant suspension bridge than a typical building. Amazing engineering!

More

Skin

The bright red and blue panels on this urban youth center make a bold statement that says: this is the place to be.

More

Stuff

All the other stuff in your school (lockers, desks, benches) was designed by someone. But are all these well-designed objects?

More