Student-Centered Renovation at High School Awarded Gold Citation

DLA Architects, Ltd. announces that Lake Zurich High School, Studio “C”, Lake Zurich, Illinois has been awarded a Gold Citation for outstanding design in Penton’s American School & University 2017 Educational lnteriors Showcase. It is featured in the August 2017 edition of the magazine and also online at SchoolDesigns.com. An annual competition honoring excellence in educational interiors and facility planning, the Educational lnteriors Showcase spotlights today’s most effective learning environments.

The project involved a great deal of student and administration in the design process. The result is an incredibly popular space where high school students gather in groups, showcasing peer to peer learning.  Studio C, short for Studio Collaboration, was formed by repurposing an antiquated auditorium/lecture space to create an environment on campus that was missing. Read more about the innovative project in Student Space for Peer to Peer Collaboration

A jury of American Institute of Architects (AlA) members and education administrators evaluated submissions from architectural firms, schools, and universities across the country and outside the United States. Seventy projects in eighteen categories were chosen for publication in AS&U, an educational facilities, purchasing, and business administration magazine reaching 57,000 facility planners, school and university administrators, and architects with this issue. This is the 27th year the competition has been held.

  • Each project was considered based on the following criteria:
  • How successfully does the design address the project vision?
  • Does the project create a healthful indoor environment?
  • How well did the designers take into account life-cycle costs of project materials?
  • Does the project enhance the learning environment?
  • Timelessness of design
  • Functionality of the space
Student space for peer-to-peer collaboration