How Schools Should be Designed, Now and Post-Pandemic

Episode 017 • 43 min

Important topic this week: across the nation, parents, and guardians are having to decide whether to send their children back to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some families won’t have a choice. It’s a complex problem without a lot of good solutions. We’ll explore how design can play a role in creating a safer return to school this year, how schools should be designed, now and in the future, and how remote learning comes into the picture. Our guest co-host is Karina Ruiz, Principal at BRIC Architecture — Karina is an expert in shaping spaces for learning. Karina shares what she’s hearing from her education clients and how she’s collaborating with them to re-imagine schools. And we’re joined by Kyle Laier, Assistant Superintendent of Operations for Oregon City Schools. Kyle and Karina have worked closely on school building projects, and they share how they welcomed students and teachers into the design process, empowering them to do user interviews, and truly listening to their feedback to craft a new type of school. They even built a full-scale prototype that teachers are using to plan future lessons and activities. Plus we have our weekly dose of good design.

Weekly Dose of Good Design

• Sam: UPLIFT Desk
• Liz: The Magic School Bus
• Karina: A Designer’s Critical Alphabet cards