Of possible interest: when NY's Stuyvesant High School planned their new building in Battery Park City (late '80's), they did it themselves, with minimal architect consultation. Here's how they did it: the Drafting department designed the shell of the building based on the space and acreage available. Drafting is/was a required course at Stuyvesant for all Sophmores.
One of the reasons I went to summer school and took some of the required courses such as history and social studies was to free up time to take electives during the regular school year. One of the courses I took that way was mechanical drawing, which at least at that time was considered a "shop" course and so was primarily available to those on the "general" track rather than those on the "college prep" track (though I was not the only one in that class who was on the college prep track). Actually, I didn't learn a whole lot more about how to draw than I had already learned on my own, though I suppose I learned more about the "proper" standards for drawings in industry than I had before. My primary purpose in taking that course was to be able to read blueprints and make sketches that were at least readable when necessary to communicate with engineers, etc., though at one time when I was a (flight test) engineer myself, and the drafting department that was part of engineering had a huge pile of work they were behind on, I pitched in and helped out. I recall getting a few strange looks from visitors who saw the tech sergeant who was the head of the drafting department sitting at the front desk while behind him, slaving over a drawing table, was someone wearing lieutenant's bars . . . ;-)
Every Sophmore was given a room's dimensions and told: 'make a science lab', or 'make a gymnasium', or 'design an auditorium'. The teachers revamped the students' ideas into feasible and affordable specs and drew up blueprints for the builders.
I suspect that in many places that would not work due to requirements that the designers of public buildings are required to be licensed professional architects (or whatever the proper designation is). Did they perhaps get around any such requirements because the teachers had the proper qualifications, so for "official" purposes theirs were the only names on the blueprints?
-- Ronn! :)
Almighty Ruler of the all, Whose Power extends to great and small, Who guides the stars with steadfast law, Whose least creation fills with awe, O grant thy mercy and thy grace, To those who venture into space.
(Robert A. Heinlein's added verse to the Navy Hymn)
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