LITERATURE REVIEW

Leiringer, R., & Cardellino, P. “Schools for the twenty-first century: school design and educational transformation.” British Educational Research Journal 37, no .6 (2011): 915–934. Accessed October 1st, 2022. http:// www.jstor.org/stable/23077016

Conducted by The Building Schools for the Future Programme, this study analyzes four Scandinavian case studies regarding schools designed or redesigned for reform in education. Hellerup Skole is a Copenhagen based education building that utilizes the design of the built environment to allow students to feel in control of their learning and activities in order to create the perception of a secure environment. This is done by allowing centralized functions to occur in the atrium/staircase, while leaving the concentrated learning areas to occur in the “home areas” and “tutor rooms.” Heimdalsgades Overbygningsskole is a bread and paper factory that has been converted into a school. Instead of featuring a traditional classroom setting, there are five zones designated for a separate curriculum: The Studio, The Workshop, The Station, The Laboratory, and the 10th grade environment. Each zone is outfitted with specific equipment and furniture pertaining to the function of the room, but all environments are flexible in their arrangement and overall design. Students are assigned a schedule and curriculum, but are given the freedom to choose where they want to work within the school, and are encourage to establish their own individual space.

Moubarak, L & Qassem, E. “Creative eco crafts and sustainability of interior design: Schools in Aswan, Egypt as a case study.”

The Design Journal 2, no. 6, (2018): 835-854, Accessed October 1st, 2022. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/14606925.2018.1533717

DOI: 10.1080/14606925.2018.1533717 https://doi.org/10.7454/in.v5i1.189

Due to the unprecedented rise in mass production of materials and products, many craftsmen lack the economic incentive to continue the pursuit of their craft. This leads to a rise in market exclusion for many local and traditional trades. Based on schools in Aswan, Egypt, this study discusses the positive social, economic, and environmental impact of specifying Eco and heritage crafts in place of contemporary materials and finishings. On a social level, specification of these crafts can help to establish a sense of place within the built environment that promotes the representation of a cultural identity, as opposed to mass assimilation into the existing world. At the economic level, support of local tradesmen drives vitality within the surrounding community by promoting job increase in marginalized trade groups. Doing so also reduces transportation costs of goods and services, and minimizes the expense process of disposing of waste. Environmentally, specifying Eco and heritage crafts aids in the reduction of waste and pollution caused by artificial materials and finishings. In addition, creative Eco crafts employ passive ventilation methods which can replace energy intensive mechanical ventilation systems.

McGee B, & Park, N. “Colour, Light, Materiality: Biophilic Interior Design Presence in Research and Practice.” Interiority 5, no. 1, (2022): 27-52, Accessed October 1st, 2022.

DOI: 10..7454/in.v5i1.89

This article discusses the biophilic design hypothesis that details how nature-based environmental design promotes human health and well-being. The study was based on the application of the Biophilic Interior Design Matrix (BID-M) which was created in order to support the application of biophilic design on interiors, and its consequent effects. As a result of the study’s literature review and design practitioner perceptions, evidence was found that supports the conclusion that a holistic approach to interior design includes nature based application of color, light, and materiality. The BID-M model is based on six categories: actual natural materials, natural representations, natural patterns and processes, color and light, place-based relationships, and human nature relationships. These categories are further broken down into a total of 54 attributes that further asses the application of biophilia. Results concluded that color can influence behavior and cognition of users, such as in the instance of wayfinding. There was a significant correlation between access to natural light and the improvement of task performance as well as energy savings. Overall, it is stated that”environments perceived low in creativity potential were consistently windowless, finished in manufactured or composite materials, and with overall cool colors.

Donkin, R. & Kyn, M. “Does the learning space matter? An evaluation of active learning in a purpose-built technology-rich collaboration studio.” Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 31, no. 1, (2021): 133-146, Accessed October 1st, 2022. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.5872

There is mixed evidence in the topic of whether or not technology-rich learning environments promote positive outcomes compared to the traditional pedagogic classrooms, or whether this use of technology is ultimately just a distraction. This is not the case when it comes to team-based learning facilities that are enriched the implementation of technology. The report examines a study in which quantitative results show 11.8% improvement in test scores for students who studied curriculum in a collaborative environment as opposed to a standard learning environment. Results also show the positive impact of exam results caused by a technology-enable collaboration studio. In addition to test result improvement, the study found that a technology-rich collaborative space can also increase implicit outcomes of communication, motivation, and professionalism.

Kirschner, M.; Golsteijn, R.H.J.; Sijben, S.M.; Singh, A.S.; Savelberg, H.H.C.M.; de Groot, R.H.M. “A Qualitative Study of the Feasibility and Acceptability of Implementing ‘Sit-ToStand’ Desks in Vocational Education and Training. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, 849. (2021) Accessed October 1st, 2022. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030849

In a traditional school setting, the majority of student time is spent in a sedentary position. This is counter-intuitive to studies that show how the interruption of a human’s sedentary behavior is directly correlated with the improvement of cognitive functioning, physical health, and mental well-being. Despite this evidence, research also indicates that roughly 80% vocational education and training students employ a sedentary lifestyle. Utilizing semi-structured focus group interviews, this study aimed to analyze the implementation of sit-to-stand desks as a means of interrupting sedentary positions, and therefore, positively impacting health and behavior. The experiment which analyzed the subjective matter of 33 students, indicated positive attitudes towards the implementation of these desks, but that the teachers played a crucial role in the implementation of them. The study found that students would not utilize the desks, independently, but relied on the structure motivation of the teachers in order to fully reap the cognitive, physical, and mental benefits of the sit-to-stand-desks.

Frelin, A. & Grannäs, J. “Designing and Building Robust Innovative Learning Environments.” Buildings 11, 345, (2021), Accessed October 1st, 2022. https://doi. org/10.3390/buildings11080345

This study examines two different spatial designs of schools and the behavioral results of how these environments promote innovative learning methods and practices. There was an underlying focus placed on the differentiation of process and phases it took to develop these two school models. The data accumulated was made up of site visits, project briefs, and direct interviews with stakeholders. This data was analyzed using a model that emphasized the education vision, organization and approach, and physical environment. Results showed four common themes: Continuity, Preparation, Alignment, and Participation. Both school design processes revealed participation of several stakeholders at all phases demonstrated continuity in the overall design process. In both studies preparatory processes including site studies, research, and on-site workshops were a crucial aspect of the design process.

Bruni, E.; Dall’O, G.; Panza, A. “Improvement of the Sustainability of Existing School Buildings According to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)® Protocol: A Case Study in Italy” Energies 6, no. 12, (2013): 6487-6507, Accessed October 1st, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/en6126487

Because the majority of an adolescent’s time is spent at their respective center of education, it is crucial that the design of this building prioritize the health and comfort of its users at all levels of design. This study outlines the sustainable improvement of fourteen school buildings located in Northern Italy, and how their redesigns meet the standards and requirements of LEED® certification. These examinations highlight the cost effectiveness of improving existing structures to meet LEED® standards, and whether the benefits fiscally outweigh these costs. Results found that investments in energy efficiency had the ability to generate income as a result of the saving of conventional energy sources. There were questions in whether energy efficiency should be the end-all-be-all for sustainable improvement of the buildings’ redesigns, but ultimately results of the study showed that a comprehensive approach in the building’s overall sustainability caused net economic assets to emerge.