School Design

Resiliency

| Dan Hess

When we consider the foundational concepts that shape successful schools, we always come back to the big three – learning, community, and resiliency.

Resiliency

Learning encompasses everything from teaching and pedagogy, to how students absorb and process information. The school design process should always prioritize the different facets of learning – after all, if a school doesn’t support the best learning outcomes, what good is it?

Community captures the sense of unity and identity that schools inspire among educators, students, family members, and neighbors. It’s essential that schools celebrate the diversity of their unique communities.

Resiliency essentially accounts for everything else. It’s a building that withstands the elements. It’s a building that treads lightly on the earth. No matter what else is happening in the world, it’s the building that everyone depends on to take care of our students day in and day out. It’s the physical and emotional manifestation of security.

Resiliency is more than the physical building; more than its structure, energy efficiency solutions, technology, and safety features. Resiliency should be felt as much as it’s seen. The most resilient schools feel safe because they reflect resiliency through the lenses of openness and opportunity, not barriers and limitations. Truly resilient schools welcome the future and encourage students to embrace lifelong learning as they explore education and creativity.

BRIC office in Portland, OR

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