Designing a new building or addition for a school community now and in the future is no easy task. It takes collaboration, iterative design, and creativity - all elements that are at the heart of the Design Advisory Group process. Any major construction project - like a building addition or replacement - always begins with a series of DAG meetings. These DAG groups are comprised of school leaders, teachers, students, parents, and community members who work with architects throughout the entire design process for their new building, addition or renovation.
These groups and their input during the meetings give our architects insight and understanding of the guiding principles of their school, how it functions and the role it plays in their community. They share how the school flows, pain points in the current building, and how the renovations could help serve their community now and in the future.
The DAG meetings start right at the beginning, asking participants how they envision their school and what defines their community. From their architects - who lead the meetings - take this feedback and bring potential site plans to the group. They are able to suggest changes and give their thoughts on why or why not a certain design decision would work for their school. Finally, they help select some of the visual design elements - think carpet choices, wall color, and visual features.
Our DAG groups all help us ensure that these renovations and improvements represent each school and their community. If you are a teacher, parent or community member at a school with an upcoming renovation, be sure to reach out to school leaders to learn more about opportunities to participate in a DAG.
