Tomorrow's Project by HunterDouglas Contract
Tomorrow's Project is a discussion platform for prominent architects and designers to voice their predictions on the future of design. Every other week, we speak to design leaders who are developing ideas for smarter ways to live and work that challenge the norms in their sectors: healthcare, education, corporate, retail, and hospitality design.
John Curran

Susan: Your firm has worked on a number of high-profile education projects. Talk to us about designing environments that make it easier for students to learn.

John: We believe creating the proper physical environment truly enhances the learning experience and ultimately affects quality of life.

At the Hillsborough Community College Southshore Multi-Purpose Facility, we designed a LEED Gold Facility that is truly a Florida building. We designed the facility to maximize daylighting throughout all of the spaces, but most importantly within the classrooms. We also created a roof and canopy system that harvests water, which is ultimately used throughout the complex. We recently had a conversation with the president of the HCC campus, and he paid us the greatest compliment. He said that his faculty has expressed that the students at the facility are the most energetic and productive they have seen in a Community College environment, and he credited the unique environment that was created.

Susan: How do you see the educational setting changing in five years?

John: Sustainability is a huge and important issue. However, I see the discussion focusing more on energy and energy efficiency. As a firm we are committed to the Architecture 2030 challenge. We will do everything we can to reduce the carbon footprint on earth, and schools are embracing this. I think we'll see more buildings that are designed to conserve in the future; owners who will benefit from energy savings will support this as well.

Susan: How would you describe the classroom of the future?

John: I see a greater number of classrooms that provide faculty and students the ability to interact in a variety of ways. Creating environments that enable group discussion and face-to-face interaction through shared spaces means our designs will need to be more multi-purpose and flexible.

Susan: Have you designed a school that created a flexible space?

John: At The University of South Florida Marshall Student Center, it was important to create an environment that acted as the living room for the campus. This atmosphere extends from the inside to outdoor spaces, which have become integral to the experience as a whole. The space allows for opportunities to emphasize school spirit and create environments that students are extremely proud of and can call their own.

Susan: Tell us something unusual about yourself.

John: I don't know about unusual, but in an effort to keep my sanity in this profession (and world), I always find time to play with my children. I am also fortunate that I can provide an opportunity for them to directly experience buildings that I have worked on.

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Innovation Poll
Where do you like to see government construction on the spectrum of architectural progress?
  1. Repurpose and retrofit, making classic architecture energy efficient and functional
  2. Break ground and go modern, creating new buildings and progressive designs to meet today’s needs
  3. Expand and remodel, blending the old with the new
  4. Anything goes as long as it blends with the rest of the architectural landscape.
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