Perkins + Will , Campus International School , Cleveland , Ohio .
Photography Credit - © James Steinkamp Photography and justifiable mitigation strategies to meet students ’ future needs ?
Through our work on the new World Trade Center as well as the new Sandy Hook Elementary School we have learned a great deal , but most importantly we learned that we cannot plan for the irrational . And , if past is prologue , we should not have confidence in our current lawmakers to enact meaningful gun control legislation ( although we are inspired by the promise of change resulting from the work of today ’ s student activists ). This understanding leaves us with this : how can we protect students and staff in the immediate future ? We recognize that there is no “ one-size-fits-all ” solution . Our team encourages a participatory community dialogue to find a solution . That being said , we believe in a balanced and layered approach to campus security that begins at the perimeter of the site and integrates Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ( CPTED ). Additionally , there are three areas that we focus on : architecture , technology , and operations .
ARCHITECTURE
A balanced and layered approach to safety seeks to deter , detect and delay a threat by looking at three areas related to the built environment : campus perimeter , building perimeter and classroom or academic perimeter . The approaches outlined in the CPTED principles — natural surveillance , natural access control , territorial reinforcement , and maintenance — have proven effective in decreasing incidents of crime while improving the quality of space . Since , in emergencies , people follow people , we must always make accessible egress available with well-marked pathways . There are several points to keep in mind here :
Campus Perimeter
• Define the area and express ownership through signage , fencing , landscaping or other features .
• Maximize natural surveillance so one can see possible danger ( and so that there is an awareness that someone is watching ).
• Develop traffic patterns to help control parking , and separate vehicles from pedestrian walkways .
• Utilize video surveillance where natural surveillance is not possible .
• Manage landscaping as to support natural surveillance .
• Implement lighting programs supporting CPTED principles .
Building Perimeter
• Create an easily identified and secure single point of entry .
• Discourage easy access .
• Layer the building from the front entry inward with secure zones that can be locked down when necessary .
• Proactively manage visitors and how they access the building with their understanding that they may be momentarily inconvenienced with questions and perhaps a quick background check .
• Manage after school activities when multiple visitors are present on campus and in the school .
• Secure windows and doors knowing that a door left propped open
8 essentials | spring 2018