SINKS
Cleanup time is not art learning time, but it has to be done. Good design saves time. Bad design results in lots of standing around and discipline problems. Ask for sinks that are in a peninsula with plenty of room for people around them and for traffic flow. Never locate sinks in a corner where they create congestion. Space sinks as far apart from each other as possible so more people can get at them. Get at least two sinks with two completely separate drain systems in every room. When one clogs, the other should work. If I am only allowed one sink, I try for a big double sink and two faucets and two drains.
VENTILATION TO REMOVE DUST AND FUMES
I have seen new schools that take the bad air from the kiln room and blow it into the rest of the rooms in the school with the heating system. One of the elementary schools in our community had an air intake that sucked in diesel fumes from the school buses. People in the building got sick. It was moved.
Many materials that were previously thought to be harmless, have been found to harmful. Dust in an art studio contains chemicals. Spraying of many art materials, fixatives, glazes, and so on, require a appropriate exhaust booths with a dedicated exhaust fan that keeps all fumes away from the user. Clay mixing, glaze mixing, soldering, photography chemicals, printmaking chemicals, and some paint thinners may also require dust or fume removal. If toxins cannot be totally removed at the source, fresh air needs to be supplied to the faces of the students while working. Consider, power, noise, and energy consumption when designing ventilation. In extreme climates, air-to-air heat exchangers may be indicated to save energy.