Design & Construction Manual

Classroom Design Considerations

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Design Guidance

In addition to meeting the specified design program, the Design Professional shall integrate the following design specific criteria into the Project Design of classroom and special teaching areas:

A. General Criteria:

• Classrooms should be concentrated on the entry levels of buildings to provide easy access for students and equipment.
• Classrooms should be located within building away from noise generators, such as mechanical rooms or student gathering places.
• The principal/primary entry should be at the rear or sides of the room.
• If windows are provided, they should be located along the sides of classrooms, not at the front or back.
• Ceiling should have an average height of not less than 9' (although 10 feet is preferred), and allow for one or more wall mounted projection screens or “smart boards” large enough to display images of adequate size, and placed high enough off the floor to provide unobstructed sight lines.
• Distance between the marker board and the first row of seats must be between 7'-10'.

B. Space Requirements

• Design shall be based on approximately 23 SF/student for classrooms with movable seating, plus additional space as required for teaching station and circulation
• Design shall be based on approximately 10 SF/student for fixed seat; plus, additional space, as required, for teaching station, circulation outside of seating area, etc.
• Design shall be based on approximately 20 SF/student for classrooms with fixed table and chair seating, plus additional space as required for teaching station and circulation
• Moveable seating (tables and chairs, or tablet-arm chairs), is recommended for rooms seating 75 or fewer.
• Fixed tables and chairs or fixed tablet arm chairs are recommended for rooms seating 75 or more.
• Tiered floors should be provided in rooms seating 75 or more.
• Side chairs should be provided for lecturers.
• Tablet-arm chairs or fixed seating should have a minimum of 10% of the seats accommodating left handed students.
• Tablet-arm chairs should provide a minimum of 150 square inches of working surface.
  Instruction Station: Combination Desk/Lecterns or A/V Desk/Lecterns should be provided in each classroom.

C. Classrooms with Audio-Visual equipment:

Where A/V Equipment is incorporated in the classroom, the Design Professional shall integrate the following design specific criteria into the Project Design

• More than one (1) viewing screen is advisable in most classrooms which can accommodate same. Design Professional shall consider a reference screen for the instructor; side screens to enable students in distant seats to have an alternate view; and double screens at front of large rooms.
• Support space or closets must allow for the setup and use of audio-visual equipment.
• Classroom design shall consider present and future instructional technology
• Design shall focus on ease of use and effective instructional practice
• Projection screen size will be determined based on room size, ambient light, viewing angles, ceiling height, etc. Consideration will be given to installing screens that will accommodate upcoming changes in video aspect ratio (i.e., for high definition display).
• Where fabric screens are used with a ceiling projector, screens larger than 96 will include motorized controls; all others may be manual pull-down style.
• Consideration should be given to screen placement to maximize marker board use
• Screens shall be installed to allow the lowest side of the projected image to be at least 4’ above the floor.
• The distance between the projection screen and the first row of seats should be at least two times the width of the projected image, and the distance between the screen and the last row of seats should be at most eight times the width of the projected image. Check vs. DaLite standards

D. Classroom Furniture Standards and Requirements:

In addition to meeting the specified design program, the Design Professional shall integrate the following specific furniture criteria for the design of classroom and special teaching areas:

1. General Education Classroom

Tables –BERCO, Global or Equal
Series: Berco Voyager - PVC (P-12) edge, Offset Bases Ebony (S10)
Laminate Tops only. Tops colors to coordinate with specific building finishes.

2. Computer Classroom Standards- OPTION 2