Schools that Breathe: Studio Education in the Pandemic

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically exposed the vulnerabilities of the American public school system. The architecture of educational buildings themselves became the flashpoint in discussions about equity, support for teachers, and student health. In a recent graduate architecture studio at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, students considered the proposition of the pandemic-resilient school by proposing retrofits to increase fresh air ventilation to existing school buildings and add outdoor classrooms. This seemingly straightforward exercise was a gateway to much larger issues, such as the intersections between air ventilation and educational inequality, as the studio responded to unfolding evidence and a global emergency in real time. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Architectural Education is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)