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The changing educational environment...
As technology and the forms of education change, educational environments should fit those changes; however, students struggle to find comfort and peace at a space where they will spend most of their adolescence. Teens in particular are at a disadvantage in finding their own space as they transition from childhood to adulthood. School campus designs often prioritize costs and maintenance over their students’ comfortability and well-being as a member of the community and user of space. This research utilizes teen engagement and environmental psychological studies to analyze and create a design guideline that is appropriate for the educational environment. This guideline will be generalizable towards large public schools and will be easily implementable. It will aid designers and planners to innovate design solutions to create a sustainable educational space.
Why should schools invest in the "outside" space?
Attention Restoration
Exposure to nature is not only enjoyable; it supports recovery from stress. Attention Restoration Theory proposes that being surrounded by nature can help to improve focus, thus helping students to effectively progress in their education.
Kaplan, 1989.
Sense of Belonging
Lacking a sense of belonging in a space affects teens on the perception of self, and diminishes the chance of academic success. Having a sense of belonging builds self-esteem, which affects motivation to do well in school work.
Social Growth
High school is one of the last occasions when a mixed group comes in a shared space regularly and involuntarily - it is where exposure to identity and differences as well as key communication skills are learned. Building crucial social skills in teen years will help in human development and also community building for their career and future ahead.
Walton, et. al., 2011.
Photo courtesy of Quattrocchi Kwok Architects web page
Strategies in Making Space for Teens
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Keeping these in mind...
