Franklin Conference
Schools by Design: Innovative Intentions
The Franklin Conference is a model civic engagement program of the Penn Institute for Urban Research. A joint project of PennPraxis of the School of Design of the University of Pennsylvania and the Center for School Study Councils of Penn's Graduate School of Education, the Franklin Confernece pairs expert opinion with citizen deliberation on important urban topics. In partnership with the Philadelphia Inquirer, it develops and publicizes principles and recommendations towards effecting positive change in the urban environment.
March 28, 2005
This Franklin Conference on School Design was occasioned by the School District of Philadelphia's proposed $1.5B capital improvement program. Modeled after Superintendent Paul Vallas' successes in Chicago, the Philadelphia program is part of a vision for small-scale schools that are designed to facilitate student learning. This Franklin Conference was an opportunity to discuss the impact of this initiative on the economic, social, cultural and educational landscape of Philadelphia for years to come. How best, then, to integrate and think about the significance of this initiative?
Program of Panelists and Presenters
- "Form Types" - Steven Bingler & Bobbie Hill (PDF - 2.7MB)
- "Rethinking High Schools" - Patti Smith (PDF - 344kB)
- "School District of Philadelphia: Capital Improvement Plan" - Pat Henwood, Chris Harris, and Terry Wilson (PDF - 72kB)
- "Franklin Conference on School Design" - Frank S Kelly (PDF - 408kB)
Pictures from World Cafe Live
View pictures (PDF - 5.5 MB) for the March 28th sessions
Feedback from Group Discussions
Read table questions (PDF - 28 kB) from March 28th
Frankin Conference Principle Sessions
These five principle sessions were held in specific regions of the School District, focusing on concerns pertaining to these areas. The meetings consisted of an overview presentation of different approaches to school design, followed by small group collaboration, facilitated group discussion, and a closing summary of main ideas. The ideas that came from the small discussion groups were tabulated and presented at the Principles Consolidation session, where community members created the seven Franklin Principles as they exist today.
- May 17, The Enterprise Center, 4548 Market St., 7:00 to 9:30
PM
- View pictures (PDF - 1.5 MB) for the May 17th session
- View raw data (.doc - 46kB) from small group discussions
- May 19, Northeast High School, 5:30 to 8:00 PM
- View pictures (PDF - 1.5 MB) for the May 19th session
- View raw data (.doc - 27kB) from small group discussions
- May 24, High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, 6:30
to 9:00 PM
- View pictures (PDF - 2.2 MB) for the May 24th session
- View raw data (.doc - 77kB) from small group discussions
- May 26, Dobbins High School, 6:30 to 9:00 PM
- View pictures (PDF - 3.7 MB) for the May 26th session
- View raw data (.doc - 30kB) from small group discussions
- June 01, West Philadelphia High School - new gymnasium 6-9pm, 4700 Walnut St.
- View pictures (PDF - 2.1 MB) for the June 1st session
- View raw data (.doc - 72kB) from small group discussions
Franklin Conference Principles Presentation
Overview: Different Approaches to School Design (PDF - 916 kB)
Principles Consolidation Session
Tuesday, June 7, 6:30 - 9pm
The Philadelphia Inquirer Building, 400 N Broad St, Philadelphia
- Sample Matrix Used for Principle Consolidation (PDF - 12kB)
- The Franklin Principles: the Final Product of Community Deliberation (.doc - 24kB)
- View raw data (.doc - 25kB) from small group discussions
View pictures (PDF - 3.7 MB) for the June 7th session
School Design Charrette
Saturday, June 11, 8:30am - 6pm
CHAD (Charter High School for Architecture + Design), 675 Sansom
St, Philadelphia
The Franklin Conference on School Design Charrette graphically advanced the principles gained from the preceding civic deliberation sessions. This event brought together the expertise of design professionals in architecture, landscape architecture and planning to test the physical constraints of the communities' goals for school improvement. For one full day, these experts put these ideas into motion, producing designs for three schools on emblematic sites. The results were published in the Currents section of the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday, June 26.
List of all Charrette Participants (.doc, 28kB)
Outcomes of Charrette Sessions
Press
- "Brighter School Days," article by Chris Satullo, June 26, 2005
- "Visions for Better Schools," Editorial, June 26, 2005
- "Small, Bright and Functional," article by Team Commodore Barry School, June 26, 2005
- "A School to Heal the Land, Lift a Community," article by Team Logan Triangle, June 26, 2005
- "A Plan to Convert Some Old Offices into a Center for Science and Community," article by Team 2130 Arch Street, June 26, 2005
- "Charrette Participants," article by Chris Satullo, June 26, 2005
Final Plenary Session: Applying The Principles
Monday, June 27, 6:30 - 9pm
The Philadelphia Inquirer Building, 400 N Broad St, Philadelphia
Franklin Conference Results Presentation
- Applying the Principles to School Design (PDF - 3.7 MB)
- View raw data (.doc - 30kB) from small group discussions
Press
- "Forum participants hail school designs," article by Dale Mezzacappa, June 28, 2005
Philadelphia Inquirer Editorials
- "Seeking Input on an Ambitious Project", Editorial, March 6, 2005
- "Civic Input for Community Centerpieces", Editorial, March 25, 2005
- "A Better Place for Learning", Editorial, April 17, 2005
- "Vallas is using lessons learned in Chicago", Op-ed by Harris Steinberg, May 13, 2005
- "Build with an entire community in mind", Op-ed by Steven Bingler, May 13, 2005
- "Create spaces where student, teacher can better interact", Op-ed by Patti Smith, May 13, 2005
- "Civic Imagination", Editorial, June 19, 2005
- "Visions for Better Schools," Editorial, June 26, 2005
Additional Reading on School Design
- "The Next Wave: New Learning Environments" by Steven Bingler
- Senate Testimony on High-Performance Schools by Alex Wilson, President, BuildingGreen, Inc.
- National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities - rich index of studies from around the world pertaining to school design
- Schools As Centers of Community
- Schools for the Future
- Designing a City of Learning: Paterson, NJ
- The Language of School Design
- "Connecting Schools to Community Development" by Connie Chung (PDF)
- "Schools and Smart Growth" by Tim Torma, EPA (PDF)
- Corresponding notes on slides for above presentation (PDF)