A Vision: 2007 Educational Interiors Showcase commentary

Jurors from Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Illinois traveled to Overland Park, Kan., in May to judge entries for the 2007 Educational Interiors Showcase. They perused 97 projects in 13 categories. According to the jury, citation winners include designs that look to the future, express contemporary technology, invoke a sense of spirit and inspiration, are courageous and offer quality in their details. The jury used the following criteria to make its selections:

• High Performance.
  • Sustainability (daylighting, systems, material use, etc.)
  • User performance (occupants).
  • Life-cycle costs.
  • Environmental impact.
• Innovation.
  • Expressive of current technology.
  • Creative solutions.
• Functionality.
  • Flexibility.
  • Design reflects program needs.
• Contextual relationship.
  • Connection to culture/site/environment.
  • Interior/exterior relationships.
• Humanism.
  • Warm.
  • Inviting.
  • Engaging.
  • Collaborative.
• Quality.
  • Space.
  • Material.
  • Craftsmanship.