What happens when the people who spend the most time in a school building finally have a say in its design? In this episode of Laying the Foundation, we are joined by Principal Architect Courtney Koch to explore the transformative power of incorporating student voices into K12 architecture. We discuss the shift from designing for students to designing with them, examining how authentic engagement, from interactive design charrettes to student shadowing, leads to spaces that foster ownership, safety, and inspiration. Join us as we dive into the practicalities of inclusive design and why the most important insights often come from the students themselves.
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Episode Transcript
(Skyler): Welcome back, everybody, to another episode of the Laying the Foundation podcast. I’m your host, Skyler, and joining me once again is Courtney Koch, a principal architect from our Sioux City office. Courtney, welcome back to the show.
(Courtney): Thanks, Skyler. It’s always fun to be here.
(Skyler): I should say "welcome back" since you’ve been on a few times to talk about K-12 projects. It’s always a great time to have you on.
(Courtney): I’d agree, it’s always fun, especially when we get to talk about these types of topics.
(Skyler): Today, I want to dive into something you’ve mentioned before: the idea of integrating student voices into the design process. Often, projects go through the school board or administration, but the kids are the ones actually using the facilities. Why aren't we getting their input more often?
(Courtney): That’s a great point. We don’t use these buildings daily, and the administration likely uses them less than the students do. Hearing from the students to understand how the building functions for them is incredibly important.
(Skyler): There is often a divide where we primarily speak with owners, superintendents, and school boards. Is the hang-up purely about budget?
(Courtney): It often comes down to budget and project schedules. Spending extra time gathering input can feel like it might extend the timeline or cost more. However, at CMBA, we see the value in it. When we hear from the people using the spaces, we create environments that reflect their actual needs, which ultimately leads to a better design for everyone.
(Skyler): It's not just about putting up a box; it's about the design that makes the space work. Adults don’t always catch the same things students do. Can you give an example of what students notice that adults might overlook?
(Courtney): I see it with my own kids. I have a sixth grader in a middle school that houses grades six through eight. The developmental and size difference between a sixth grader and an eighth grader is huge. Imagine being a sixth grader carrying all your books in a new building while eighth graders are zooming past you in the hallway. We identify those "squeezed" areas by listening to the students. While administrators and architects focus on efficiency and budgets, digging deeper into student feedback allows us to solve daily friction points through design.
(Skyler): That’s a great way to put it, helping the building do its job. How do we actually gather that information from them?
(Courtney): Surveys are the easiest starting point because they are quick and provide immediate, broad data. However, they have limitations; sometimes students are just venting about teachers or a bad day. The real value is in the follow-up. I like to pair surveys with focus groups. We try not to just talk to the student council or high achievers; we need a cross-section of everyone. It’s about analyzing that data and then using small groups to dig deeper into the collective issues.
(Skyler): And I assume there's a delicate balance when kids ask for things that aren't feasible?
(Courtney): Exactly. I never ask my children, "What do you want?" because the sky is the limit! [Laughs] We have to find that fine line. We don't want to shoot down every idea, but we have to work within codes and budgets. If insurance and building codes didn't exist, we’d have a lot more zip lines and trampolines in our schools! It’s about tempering those ideas with what we can actually accommodate.
(Skyler): Right. You have to filter out the requests that aren't building-related but still share that information with the administration.
(Courtney): Precisely. I remember a group that asked for an extra minute during passing periods. They weren't just hanging out with friends; the physical distance between their classes was too great. The administration heard that and adjusted the schedule. Sometimes the solution isn't architectural, but the feedback process still solves the problem.
(Skyler): That’s a great example. You also mentioned "design charrettes." How do those work?
(Courtney): A design charrette is interactive. Instead of just hearing a laundry list of complaints, we use sketching, modeling, or even play-based tools like Legos or paper cutouts. It’s about visual learners seeing how their ideas can be implemented in real-time. For elementary students, we’ve even used books, like If I Built a School, to get their imaginations moving. We once had students who wanted to read under treetops. We used acoustic panels, green carpet, and mounds to create a "park" in the middle of the school. When they walked in and saw it, they took ownership of it because it was their idea.
(Skyler): That builds such incredible school pride. It proves that a school doesn't have to be a hardened, institutional box.
(Courtney): Exactly. When students feel like they helped shape the environment, they treat the building with more care. They want to show it off to friends. It enhances their daily experience.
(Skyler): Another method is shadowing. What does that look like?
(Courtney): We’ve sat in major hallways during passing periods to watch how students interact. We saw where bottlenecks happened and noticed students leaving backpacks in the hallway because they didn't have storage for lunch periods. By adding hooks and cubbies, we solved the problem and made the fire marshal happier. You have to find the specific niches that make that building work for that district, because it’s never one-size-fits-all.
(Skyler): If we can't do a zip line, how do we handle the "no" in a way that keeps them engaged?
(Courtney): It's not a "no," it’s, "How can we implement this differently?" If they want speed, how can we solve that through flow or space planning? It’s about finding the underlying problem and solving it in a way that respects the budget and the code.
(Skyler): We’ve talked about how we can’t predict the future, like with the shifts we saw during the pandemic. How do we keep these spaces flexible for the students who haven't even enrolled yet?
(Courtney): Flexibility is the key. Since we don't have a crystal ball, we design for variation. We provide quiet spaces for downtime and larger breakout spaces for collaboration. Using flexible furniture is also a huge factor. We aren't locked into a static "teaching wall" anymore. Everything can be rearranged, which keeps the building relevant as educational needs evolve.
(Skyler): For school leaders listening, what is your advice for starting this process?
(Courtney): Start early. Don’t fast-track the design process to the point where you don't have time for input. Involve a diverse cross-section of students, be transparent about the ground rules, and create a feedback loop. Don't just treat the input as a token checkbox. When we return to tour a finished project, seeing the students interact with the ideas they pitched is the best part of the job.
(Skyler): Courtney, thank you for sharing that. It’s such a valuable perspective for our listeners.
(Courtney): Thank you. This is always the most fun part of the job.
(Skyler): If you’d like to find out more about the Laying the Foundation podcast, you can head over to any streaming platform, such as Spotify or iTunes. You can also find CMBA Architects on social media or at cmbarchitects.com. If you are an architecture professional or an intern looking for opportunities, check out the careers tab on our website. This has been another episode of the Laying the Foundation podcast. We’ll see you next time.