DLR Group Earns Industry Recognition for its School Design
DLR Group has earned an Award of Merit by the AIA Committee on Architecture for Education for its design of Canyon View High School in Arizona. This national award honors innovative designs that inspire learners, educators, administrators, and communities and enhance modern pedagogy.
Canyon View High School consists of flexible teaching environments reinforced by digital platforms for learning. Ownership of the classroom is transferred to the collective school, allowing faculty to rotate through learning spaces weekly and affording students the ability to explore academic interests and curriculum. Prior to occupying the campus, DLR Group implemented its BOLD service, a facility activation process that bridges organization, learning, and design. This change effort led to universal buy-in to a vision for the campus, resulting in a shift in teaching practices that align with the physical environment.
During the award review process, jurors noted “the project hits on equity, health, and accessibility. Every indoor-outdoor space is a place for socializing, movement, gathering, performing, and creating as a community of learners.”
“Canyon View High School is a special campus. The design is the framework that allows the district to blur the lines between ages and abilities and to deliver a truly one-of-a-kind learning experience for students and educators,” said DLR Group Senior Principal Pam Loeffelman, FAIA. “DLR Group is especially honored to be recognized by our peers for design excellence that positively impacts student success.”
DLR Group and Canyon View High School have received additional industry and educational accolades since the campus opened in 2018. Honors include the coveted James D. MacConnell Award by the Association for Learning Environments in 2019, and design and research awards through the AIA Arizona chapter.
About DLR Group
DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients; local communities; and our planet. DLR Group is 100 percent employee-owned and fully supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge, and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.
