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PIVOT: Empowering Students Today to Succeed in An Unpredictable Tomorrow

If we maximize passive learning opportunities and design educational buildings with that in mind, we will not only support teachers and enhance classroom learning but also develop the hearts and minds of today’s children as they grow into tomorrow’s global leaders. The potential is huge, and each of us has an opportunity to rise to the occasion and use our talents to contribute to a brighter future.

Ravi Hutheesing, EDspaces Keynote Speaker

A4LE and EDmarket Unite to Shape the Future of Learning Environments

EDmarket and A4LE are joining forces to create a powerful new association dedicated to reimagining where and how students learn. By uniting the expertise of two respected leaders in the education industry, this merger will accelerate innovation and expand opportunities to design learning spaces that inspire, engage, and empower every student.

EDmarket Honors Jolene Levin for Leading with Heart and Purpose2025 EDmarket Distinguished Service Award Winner

Jolene Levin, a trailblazing designer and champion of collaborative learning environments, has made a profound impact across countless EDmarket initiatives most notably the ECLPS certification program and the Bold Women Collective. Her creativity, leadership, and commitment continue to elevate both EDmarket and the broader learning environment community.

Adrienne Dayton, EDmarket

edgallery Innovations

Looking for a new product for your next building or renovation project? Find the latest innovations in the EDmarket edgallery. See what’s new for the coming school year by visiting the edgallery website and start browsing product categories, researching top innovations, and connecting with trusted suppliers in just a few clicks. Want to see your product or project featured?

The Future of Education Rooted in the Applied Learning Process

Applied learning and learning through discovery and inquiry builds skills through experiences, knowledge, and research. As designers, we provide students and educators with spaces that enable them to unlock moments of discovery through inquiry. We’re preparing students for jobs and a workforce that doesn’t exist today but will in 20 years. We give students the ability to be lifelong learners, which empowers them to take on their future with confidence.

Ian Kilpatrick, AIA, NCARB, DLR Group

Educational SPECIFICations: One District’s Approach to Analyzing its Learning Spaces

School districts throughout the United States proudly post their mission and vision on their websites, in district communications, and throughout the halls and walls of their schools. Some school districts further codify their mission and vision in an articulated instructional approach with a philosophy of instruction or an instructional framework. Yet, with what frequency do school officials, and those who design schools, consider whether or not the physical learning environment actually fosters the mission, vision, and philosophy of instruction?

Melissa Thompson, PRA | Nicholas Kent, PRA | Nicole Marble, Wauwatosa School District

Beyond the Classroom Walls: The Case for Outdoor Learning with AmTab

The classroom will always be central to education, but it doesn’t have to be the only space for learning. By integrating outdoor environments into the school day, educators can provide students with richer, more engaging, and more supportive experiences. AmTab Outdoor Furniture makes this vision achievable. With tables, benches, and flexible seating options, schools can create spaces that promote academic success, foster creativity, and support mental well-being while extending the functionality of their campuses.

Theresa Paschall, AmTab

EDmarket Celebrates 2025 NexGen Rising Stars

EDmarket is excited to recognize this amazing third cohort of NexGen Rising Stars. This program is an essential opportunity to foster talent and drive innovation, ensuring continuity, promoting diversity, and maintaining a competitive edge in today's dynamic and evolving world.

Reflecting on 14 Years of Growth and Transformation

As I prepare to wind down my tenure as your President & CEO, I want to take a moment to thank this incredible industry for 14 remarkable years in this leadership role. It has truly been the ride of a lifetime. While my exact retirement date is still to be determined, I look forward to seeing many of you at EDspaces and thanking you in person.

Jim McGarry, EDmarket

The Future of CTE Classroom Design

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is in the midst of a transformation. No longer confined to the “vocational ed” model of the past, today’s CTE programs prepare students for high-demand careers with cutting-edge tools, dynamic teaching approaches, and spaces that mirror the modern workplace. High-quality design in CTE classrooms has become indispensable, not just for student engagement, but for truly preparing learners for the rigor and demands of tomorrow’s jobs.

Leslie Stebbins, M.Ed., MLIS, Research4Ed

Deaf Education Design: How Programming Improves Learning

Designing for Deaf and hard of hearing students is a specialized field that requires empathy, cultural knowledge, and architectural expertise. By embracing Deaf Education Design principles, architects and educators can co-create environments that truly serve all learners. In doing so, we not only improve educational outcomes but also affirm the dignity, identity, and full participation of Deaf individuals in society.

Robert Nichols, World Deaf Architecture

Shaping Success: How Classroom Geometry Influences Student Engagement and Behavior

In today’s schools, flexibility, inclusivity, and student well-being aren’t just nice-to-haves — they’re non-negotiable. Yet one of the most powerful tools in creating these kinds of spaces is something many of us overlook: shape. How we shape a classroom can change the way students feel, behave, and engage.

Libby Ferin, Marco

The Science of Student Engagement: Measuring the Role of Design

In 2018, nearly half of U.S. students in grades 5 to 12 said they felt disengaged at school. Imagine a science lab where two students eagerly lean over an experiment, tinkering with equipment and asking each other questions, while their group members sit back, watching from the sidelines. What looks like a small moment ripples outward, with disengaged students experiencing less collaboration, fewer chances to practice problem-solving, and a lost opportunity to think about how what they are learning connects to the real world.

Alexandra Rett, PhD, CAUSE

Through Their Eyes: Designing Student‑Centered Classrooms That Work

We believe schools should do more than house learning. They should inspire it. Through the stories of our student personas — the mover, the sensory seeker, the quiet recharger, the student who feels empowered when everything is within reach — and we’re inviting educators and designers to see classrooms as children do: places that must feel safe, comfortable, and engaging, and that adapt as learners grow.

Patricia Cadigan, M. Ed., ALEP, Artcobell

Invisible Strain: Rethinking Schools for Teachers with Disabilities Part One of a Research Exploration Focused on Forwarding Inclusive Design for Education

Designing for educators with a broad range of disabilities represents an opportunity to enhance inclusivity in our schools and to meaningfully address educator burnout. With a focus on promoting health and wellbeing for teachers, this research has consolidated the experiences of diverse educators, yielding actionable strategies for change.

Chloe Hosid, Assoc. AIA, M.Sc., Corgan | Melissa Hoelting, Assoc. AIA, WELL AP, ASID, Corgan | Yashaswini Karagaiah, Assoc. AIA, WELL AP, LEED GA, Corgan