Tough To Talk About, But An Important Issue

Dan Kamys, Editorial Director

As the parent of a young child who’s just a year or two away from starting school, this issue of MASONRY DESIGN really hits home for me. With all of the heartbreaking tragedies that have recently occurred in our country’s educational institutions, we all felt it was important to speak to the importance of school safety. That’s why you’ll find this “Back to School” issue largely focused on the facilities designed to help develop our future generations.

With everything from ballistics and fire safety included, we also have a fascinating case study about a large-scale restoration project at Chicago’s Lane Tech High School. This is not an easy item to discuss, but it’s integral in protecting our children. Obviously, material selection plays a huge role in the educational facility design process, but some unique innovations from companies are poised to further secure buildings.

This issue is a particularly interesting one for me, as we have our good friend David Biggs contributing more than just his highly-insightful column. In the Marvelous Masonry series originally contributed to our sister magazine MASONRY, he highlights his experiences working on historical restoration projects around the world.

I’m doing everything possible to bring back some fresh installments of the series (I hope you read this David). Selfishly, it’s because I think they’re relevant and entertaining, but also because they provide a broader view on the world of design and construction. One of the most interesting things I’ve begun my education on is the impact of influences in the design process. It’s my hope that by running this series, you’re able to enlighten yourselves to the possibilities that are out there.

Since this new version of MASONRY DESIGN is still in its first few publications, Bronzella and I are always looking to expand both our focus to reflect topics that are of interest to you. Additionally, we’re always looking for sources both on the architecture/design side and the supplier/manufacturer sire to help us guide the stories and content that’s relevant to the industry.

We’d love to hear from you. Please email us at dkamys@Staging.masonrydesignmagazine.comor bcleveland@masonrymagazine.comwith case studies, topics, or sources that you think would make for fascinating coverage.