INTRODUCTION
We have long believed that environment influences behavior. We are now learning that even immediate physical surroundings shape our character and conduct. The design of school facilities therefore becomes as important as what is taught inside them, and our challenge as planners becomes finding the design solution best suited to enhancing individual performance within a diverse group of students.
We have collected some data on sensitivity to daylight, noise, and color, and on how these environmental conditions affect achievement (see Design to Maximize Student Performance). We have yet to complete conclusive studies on spatial arrangements, but certain recent designs are now testing the effect of innovative classroom shapes and outdoor environmental integration on academic performance. These and other experimental approaches to design suggest new directions for planners' consideration.
There is an increased awareness of sustainability and the impact we are having on the environment. The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) has shown how environmental quality can impact attendance, health and overall student and teacher performance. An increasing number of school districts are choosing facility designs that will decrease the negative impact on the environment.
Our schools are entry-points into an increasingly competitive and fast-paced world. As such, they must provide learning environments supportive of the physical, social, and spiritual needs of students and teachers. They must reflect our developing knowledge of design's effects upon health, productivity, and cognitive function. The articles in this section will address recent developments in these issues, highlighting past studies and emerging discussions to improve our future school facility standards.
- Andy Dunn
New Directions in School Facilities Articles
|
