Design Features

Dr. Anne Anderson High School wins the 2021 Lean in Design Award

The Lean Construction Institute (LCI) has awarded the Dr. Anne Anderson High School project as one of two of LCI’s inaugural “2021 Lean in Design Award” winners.

The LCI Lean in Design Award recognizes delivering outstanding design while advancing the industry through collaborative Lean project delivery. The purpose of this award is to encourage Lean in Design and recognize the architects, engineers, designers, clients, and constructors who work together to improve the design and construction process and produce design excellence in the built environment.

Design Principles

As Dr. Anne Anderson High School was constructed, ten principles were considered to ensure that our school is a welcoming, inclusive, safe and healthy place for learning, playing, working and living: 

1. Safety & Comfort - Good design creates physical and psychological safety. It creates an environment that makes it a pleasure to learn, work, play, eat and socialize in the space. Comfortable furniture, soft finishes, casual gathering areas and student-centered spaces create a welcoming, home-like environment. 
2. Flexibility - Good design reflects our current understanding of how students learn, but is also flexible enough to adapt as that understanding evolves. Spaces and furniture can be used flexibly to accommodate different learning modalities. 
3. Movement - Good design supports movement across spaces. Movement builds community, collaboration and interdisciplinary connections. Properly designed furniture allows for movement that promotes intellectual and physiological stimulus. 
4. Transparency - Good design supports high levels of visibility in both formal and informal areas. Transparency develops connection to context and between people.
5. Sustainability - Good design incorporates sustainable design concepts. Spaces are durable, low maintenance, energy and resource efficient and reduce operating and maintenance costs. Sustainable design can be expressed visually in the school as a learning tool and “3D textbook”. 
6. Inspiration - Good design inspires the heart and the senses. Color, art, beauty and spatial harmony are used to develop inspiring spaces. 
7. Connection to Nature - Good design connects with the natural environment. The space incorporates connections between indoor and outdoor space, and promotes learning in natural contexts. 
8. Shared Ownership - Good design invites shared ownership of learning, pedagogy and space. The space invites educators, parents, students and community members to collaborate around teaching and learning. 
9. Local Signature - Good design tells a story that connects with the context, geography, people and history of the school community. A sense of place is developed through a school signature or another expression of community. 
10. Health & Well-being - Good design ensures that a healthy environment is provided for all users. Natural lighting, temperature control, ventilation and acoustics are optimized for staff & students.