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The Educational Facilities Laboratories (EFL), an independent research organization established by the Ford Foundation, opened its doors in 1958 under the direction of Harold B. Gores, a distinguished educator. Its purpose was to help schools and colleges maximize the quality and utility of their facilities, stimulate research, and disseminate information useful to those who select sites, plan, design, construct, modernize, equip, and finance educational structures and the tools therein. This paper presents information on the history, operations, and accomplishments of EFL. Included are descriptions of EFL's funding, guiding principles, leadership, and operations over its 28-year history. It also explores EFL's aggressive philanthropic philosophy and innovative approaches to school project funding, it's development of the open plan approach that influenced basic school design in the 1960s and early 1970s, and the school construction systems and development team that created a standardized method for constructing school buildings. A discussion about EFL publications and a list of these publications and EFL films are provided. (Contains 3 resources.)

This paper presents a case for the development and support of a computer-based interactive multimedia program for teaching analysis in community college architecture design programs. Analysis in architecture design is an extremely important strategy for the teaching of higher-order thinking skills, which senior schools of architecture look for in potential transfers. Interactive multimedia learning accommodates self-paced, individual comprehension rates and allows for repetition of material, using the computer to combine text, graphics, audio, and video with links that let the user navigate and communicate. The paper cites various publications for strengths and weaknesses in a multimedia approach to analysis in architecture design. The Cognitive Learning Theory and Bloom's Taxonomy are also referenced to demonstrate the value of analysis as a higher-level thinking skill. An outline is presented listing the areas of expertise and support needed to produce multimedia lectures and related courseware. The paper concludes with a sample lecture schedule to show the integration of analysis and multimedia into a History of Modern Architecture course. (YKH)

This report discusses the social and economic benefits of university research, arguing that if funding for research programs is reduced, short-term savings could impose long-term costs, depriving Americans of scientific breakthroughs, economic growth, and improvements in international competitiveness. It provides over 100 brief summaries of ongoing innovative research projects at selected state universities in research partnerships it described, including expanding knowledge to improve health; creating new tools for fighting disease; helping Americans move into the information age; exploring the building blocks of the universe; restoring, managing, and protecting the environment; assuring the quality and safety of food; building safer buildings, roads and bridges; creating better planes, trains and automobiles; and protecting the energy supply. (JPB)

This study illustrates with specific designs how the city might meet two critical educational objectives in its first program of new school construction in many years. The study designs show how New York might build schools small enough to meet criteria for effective learning environments and how these small schools might be closely integrated with their communities. Following an introduction by Rosalie Genevro, two essays discuss the aims and implementation of this study: "Advocacy and Architecture" by Jeanne Silver Frankl and "The New Small Schools for New York Design Study" by Rosalie Genevro. The six neighborhood architectural and educational programs developed through the study are then profiled and amply illustrated. A final essay, "Building and Learning," by Anne E. Riselbach, expands the analysis of the development of school design in New York City. Drawings and texts are the result of exploration by 50 teams of architects, credited with their drawings. Contains 138 references. (SLD)

This report is intended to supply an objective data base that states the amount of existing space and its utilization in the school district in order to enable decision-makers to impartially allocate building space. All the school buildings were visited by teams that measured the dimensions of every room and noted its usage. Each building is classified by (1) existing building space and usage, (2) capacity for a variety of functions, and (3) current enrollment. A summary section ties together the first three parts and presents the comparisons between schools. (Author/MLF)

The purpose of this study was to establish more precisely what factors determine energy use in schools, to evaluate the efficiency of and necessity for these, and to make recommendations for the reduction of energy use. These recommendations will be applied to the design of specific projects that will be built, monitored, and evaluated. This report covers the pre-design research phase. Data sources for the study include New York City schools, five suburban school systems in the New York City region, and 31 electrically heated schools in the northeastern U.S. The report concludes that with recommended new standards in lighting, ventilation, and building design and with utilization of solar energy schools can be designed to operate with no educational penalty at a savings of from 25 to 50 percent of the monitored New York City level. (Author/MLF)

This study concerns the diffraction of sound around flexible partitions used in teaching spaces. It includes a comprehensive study of the acoustical conditions in several school buildings in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. The noise reduction properties of some typical partitions the minimum height of the partition between two teaching spaces, the material of the partitions, and the position of chalk-boards were some of the important factors considered in the study. Noise levels prevailing in the classrooms of different countries were also measured. (Author/MLF)

Following recent tornadoes, terms of specially trained architectural and engineering faculty conducted onsite examinations and research of building damage. It was concluded that tornado damage to buildings is predictable. A trained architect or engineer can establish, before a tornado strikes, those portions of the building that will offer the greatest protection to the occupants. The characteristics of tornadoes are explained in text and illustrations. Case studies are given of three school buildings hit with different, intense tornadoes. The hazardous and protective elements of the buildings are identified, and the tornado shelter quality of portions of these buildings rated as primary or secondary shelter. The purpose of this brochure is to assist architects and engineers to design facilities that offer tornado protection, and administrators to identify the best available shelter space. (Author/MLF)

Projects being carried out by the private sector involving the use of solar energy for heating and cooling buildings are profiled in this report. A substantial portion of the data were collected from a broad cross-section of the building community. Data collection efforts also involved the canvassing of the nearly 200 trade and professional societies and organizations representing the various segments of the building community. Each project profile identifies, when possible, the status of the activity, the principal person to be contacted for further information, and other support personnel. An index of projects, organizations, and project personnel is included. (Author/MLF)

Tornadoes and extreme winds cause heavy loss of life and property damage throughout the United States. Most buildings offer significant protection from this danger, and building administrators should know the areas where this protection is available. This booklet presents a review of three schools, all of which were struck by tornadoes on April 3, 1974. Damage to these buildings from the tornadoes was examined by teams of specially trained architectural and engineering faculty, the various building administrators, and representatives of the architectural firm that designed the buildings. From these studies, guidance has been developed on selecting best-available shelter from high winds in existing buildings. Information in the brochure can also be useful to architects and engineers in designing new buildings that would offer protection from high winds. (Author/MLF)

The Center for Building Technology (CBT) provides the technical and scientific bases for criteria and standards that improve the usefulness, safety, and economy of buildings. CBT research also aims at conserving building materials and energy. Individual projects may emphasize one or more of the center's typical activities in providing improved knowledge, in usable form, to the building community. Typical activities include problem analysis to define and characterize needs for improved building practices; research to obtain vital new knowledge, technical problem solving to develop improved practices from the best available knowledge; dissemination of results to users in the building community; and impact analysis to show how well the center's work has met the building community's needs and whether elements of the original problem remain unresolved or new problems exist. This report summarizes CBT's research for calendar year 1976. Each summary lists the project title, its progress, point of contact within CBT, and sponsor. This report supersedes the 1976 edition of SP446, which covered the 1975 CBT projects. (Author)

The Center for Building Technology (CBT) provides the technical and scientific bases for criteria and standards that improve the usefulness, safety, and economy of buildings while conserving building materials and energy. CBT's activities support the building technology program of the federal, state, and local government; assist design professions, building officials, and the research community by developing design criteria that improve buildings; and assist manufacturers of building products by developing criteria for evaluating innovative building materials. The report summarizes CBT's research for calendar year 1975. Each summary lists the project title, its progress, point of contact within CBT, and sponsor. The summaries presented in this report are arranged by subject-matter categories to group like projects. (Author/MLF)

The purpose of this project was to research and develop two design guides on environments important to child development: child care facilities and outdoor play areas, and to specify new, research-based criteria for the planning and design of these facilities for military bases around the world. The current paper is a synopsis of parts of this project. The paper summarizes the following: (1) the applied research methods used to generate the data-base for the new planning and design guidelines; (2) key findings in the areas of policy, planning, and architecture for both child care facilities and outdoor play areas; and (3) example design applications of the new patterns and criteria for the design of prototypical new facilities, renovations of existing facilities, and adaptive reuse of older buildings. The two design guides described in this paper represent a humanistic approach to architecture based on an examination of children's needs and the role of the physical environment in child development and experience. They are based on recent research in child development, environment and behavior, and architecture. The work also incorporates ideas on child care facilities and play settings from around the world. Most of the information in these documents, while generated for specific application in family housing areas on U.S. military installations, is considered generalizable to child care facilities and outdoor play environments for children. (Author/RH)

Studio teaching takes place in a tradition-rich, complex setting where teachers fill myriad roles with diverse students. In this paper, which was drawn from a larger research program, illustrative findings about three aspects of architecture studio teaching are analyzed from the perspective of the existing literature on teaching and teachers' viewpoints. The three topics examined are: (1) an aspect of students' thinking; (2) teachers' conceptions of their roles; and (3) a typical instructional decision. A studio curriculum that considers the developmental nature of students' thinking needs to be designed. Students' thoughts about alternatives to design problems need to be fostered throughout the program. Teachers' roles are defined by their expectations for students' work and their knowledge of the topic. Teachers are involved in complex thinking and in making decisions as they teach. Skilled teachers are able to effectively draw upon and orchestrate large bodies of knowledge using skills uniquely suitable for the problem at hand. Decisions about instructional methods must rest on teachers' assumptions about the purpose of studio learning and the nature of student thinking processes. The studio teachers' challenges and dilemmas are complex and rich and deserve illumination through research. (SM)

An overview of literature on research dealing with adult learning and the physical environment discusses three elements of the research: (1) the reductionistic approaches; (2) the notable exceptions; and (3) the functional environment. Conclusions are made regarding the future direction of research involving adult learning and the physical environment. Includes 18 references. (SI)

This study was commissioned by the American Institute of Architects because of a widespread feeling that education for environmental design must change. The purpose of this study is to focus and give direction to the many changes that are taking place in environmental design education today. Emerging from the study was a process for planning and evaluating the unprecedented diversity of new programs that are needed if teams of well-educated individuals are to develop who can work together and effectively design a more humane environment. The study includes four sections: (1) Introduction; (2) Goals, Problems, and Strategies; (3) The Process of Change; and (4) Recommendations of the Study. The Introduction is a brief overview of the problem. Goals, Problems, and Strategies includes the study method, goals, the five problems of environmental design education (continuity, scope, method, reality, and numbers) and strategies for dealing with these problems. A definition of the environmental design task and a national framework for environmental education design are included in the Process of Change. Nine recommendations conclude the study. An annotated list is given of the seven appendices to the report, which are not included in the report proper but may be ordered. (TK)

This study investigates interaction patterns that occur in an open plan and in a traditional plan school. The objectives of the study were: (1) to investigate some interaction patterns among members of the school populations, (2) to investigate some interaction patterns between the school population and the available physical resources, (3) to investigate the physical systems as a background to the educational environment, and (4) to organize information to be used in developing design criteria for educational facilities. Two public elementary schools, matched for educational philosophy, available resources, budget, and demographic description, were selected for the study. Data were taken from discrete time sample viewing of remote-controlled videotape recordings made simultaneously in the schools, controlling for subject, time of day, and day of week. Videotape information was supplemented by informal interviews, observations, and measures of the physical environmental systems. The results suggest three general conclusions: (1) the open plan design appears to facilitate the interaction patterns of the schools' philosophy better than the fixed plan, (2) there is more use of the available physical resources in the open plan school, and (3) first grade and fourth grade interaction patterns may necessitate different design requirements. Photographs may reproduce poorly. (Author/MLF)