School Redesign With School Safety and Security in Mind

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Nov 13, 2024

School safety is a top priority in school redesign for both parents and students alike, with around one-third of parents “very or extremely worried” about active shooter threats and more than half of people under 35 worried about their safety due to a mass shooting.

At the same time, however, schools, colleges, and universities can’t let themselves become so heavily fortified that they don’t even resemble places of learning.

A balanced approach to school redesign is required to encourage community, cohesiveness, and student mental health, along with the appropriate security safeguards in case of emergency.

The Origins of Modern School Safety Design

Gregory Saville, editor of the International Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Association (CPTED) school design guidebook, says school design has evolved considerably since the 40s and 50s when most schools were essentially boxes of red brick.

It was in the 1970s that school design began taking safety and security into consideration, he told NPR last year, with institutions installing cameras and reducing foliage for better sightlines.

Following the tragic Columbine massacre in 1999, schools began hardening themselves by fortifying main entrances and windows with metal detectors and impact-resistant glass. Some schools have even installed bulletproof storm shelters in case of an active shooter incident.

But the “target hardening” approach, while valuable, has recently been paired with softer methods to facilitate a more holistic approach to school redesign that keeps safety, security, community, and student mental health top of mind.

A Fresh Approach to School Safety Redesign

The first rule of school redesign is that any design must focus on what’s best for students and their education. Designing schools that look like prisons may seem secure but can often do more harm than good by raising the anxiety levels of students.

A new design school of thought says that while target hardening measures should still be implemented, they should also be paired with “target softening” strategies to help support learning and social interaction—which can often help mitigate or prevent violence in the first place.

This includes the creation of supportive school communities by increasing access to mental health resources, and adopting social and emotional learning practices.

The U.S. School Superintendents Association (AASA) says school redesign should always take into account the following three lenses:

• Design should promote CPTED principles and comply with fire and life safety codes.


• Design should support the mental health needs of students.


• Design should help build community and cultures of care.

Adhering to CPTED principles include locating offices with clear lines of sight to outside approaches to the school (such as parking lots and fields), developing secure entryways using proximity cards scanners and sally-port style design, and establishing a layered security posture.

This also includes installing surveillance cameras, a distributed antenna system/mobile phone signal boosters for more reliable radio and cellular communication, and clearly marked location wayfinders for first responders on scene during an incident.

The need for clear sightlines - and natural light

It’s vital for school staff and students to be able to clearly see anyone approaching the school from a distance, which is why school safety redesign principles typically stress the need for large windows throughout the institution.

Many schools opt to use force- and fire-resistant glass in all interior and exterior openings, which are typically a vulnerable point of entry for an institution. Hardened glazing can help slow down an active shooter during an incident where seconds count.

But the importance of windows and other glazing features isn’t just about clear sightlines—it’s also important for student and educator mental health. Natural daylight has been proven to improve the mental health (and performance) of students.

What Should Schools Do?

Every school board member or district undergoing the school redesign process should keep the following best practices in mind:

• Keep security front and center in the design process. Keep security top of mind from the beginning of the design process and ensure to account for security measures in your budget.


• Include security stakeholders in the design process. Architects are great at what they do, but the most secure designs incorporate feedback from security experts such as law enforcement and other emergency responders. Including them in the design process allows first responders to run an emergency response time analysis, which helps when planning disaster response and lockdown procedures.


• Deter threats with passive measures. These measures can include setting back the physical building from the main roadway and using parking lots or natural features as buffer zones. It’s also smart to design the approaches to your institution so pedestrians are forced to take a controlled, monitored route which can easily be locked down.


• Keep sightlines clear. The site should be graded, so visitors can’t see into classrooms, while featuring clear sightlines for those inside the school. Nooks and crannies easy to hide in should be eliminated.


• Reduce sightlines where necessary. At the same time, many schools have begun implementing curved or winged hallways, which reduce sightlines for shooters and can provide shelter for students in case of an incident.

Vision Control® for School Safety and Education

Unicel Architectural’s Vision Control® advanced louvered glazing technology is the preferred choice for architects and building specifiers who work on educational projects. It combines cordless louvers between hermetically sealed glass panes for full control of vision, light, temperature, and sound in doors, windows, curtain walls, and skylights.

Vision Control® units can be outfitted with heavy-duty fire-rated and force-resistant glazing that meet UL LLC fire-resistance rated assemblies standards and the AAMA 501.8 test for human impacts. Contact Unicel Architectural today to learn more.

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