Overlooked Considerations in School Design

Hidden Essentials: Overlooked Considerations in School Design That Can Transform Learning Environments

Are you interested in designing a school? Numerous hidden essentials and often-overlooked considerations in school design can significantly impact the creation of learning environments. Designing a school is a complex endeavor requiring meticulous planning and forethought before engaging with an architect. The groundwork you establish in the initial stages is crucial for guiding the entire project and ensuring the final design reflects your educational goals, operational needs, and budget limitations.

At GSE, our leadership team has extensive experience in this area, collaborating with some of the world’s most renowned architects. Our planning processes have been inspiring and rewarding, playing a crucial role in enhancing our expertise in launching new “greenfield” school projects.

We are eager to share our insights with you.

Here’s a list of considerations and features in school design that are often overlooked by those inexperienced in the field:

1. Acoustic Design

• Noise Control: Proper acoustic treatment minimises noise between classrooms, hallways, and communal areas. Poor acoustic design can lead to distractions and reduced concentration.
• Soundproofing Specialty Areas: Spaces like music rooms, theatres, and gyms require enhanced soundproofing to prevent noise spillover into adjacent areas.

2. Lighting Design

• Natural Light: Maximising natural light in classrooms is important for student well-being and energy efficiency, but it needs to be balanced with glare control.
• Task Lighting: Specific areas, such as science labs, libraries, and art studios, require task-specific lighting that many overlook.
• Lighting Control Systems: Automated lighting control systems can adjust lighting based on time of day or occupancy, enhancing comfort and energy efficiency.

3. Flexible and Multi-Use Spaces

• Adaptable Classrooms: Designing classrooms that can be easily reconfigured for different activities or group sizes is often overlooked but critical for modern teaching methods.
• Multi-Use Common Areas: Spaces like auditoriums, gyms, or cafeterias that can double as community event spaces or extracurricular activity areas add value but are often not considered early in the design process.

4. Storage Solutions

• Adequate Classroom Storage: Ample and accessible storage within classrooms for educational materials and student belongings is essential but often under-planned.
• Specialized Storage: Areas like sports equipment rooms, art studios, and science labs need specialized storage solutions that cater to the unique needs of each subject.

5. Wayfinding and Accessibility

• Intuitive Wayfinding: Clear and intuitive signage and layout design are essential for guiding students, staff, and visitors through the school. Overlooking this can lead to confusion and inefficiency.
• Accessibility: Ensuring that the design fully accommodates students and staff with disabilities, including ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and clear pathways, is sometimes neglected in the early design stages.

6. Safety and Security

• Controlled Access Points: Planning for secure, controlled access to the school campus, including visitor management and emergency exits, is critical but can be an afterthought.
• Surveillance and Monitoring: Adequate placement of security cameras and monitoring systems to cover key areas like entrances, playgrounds, and hallways often needs more attention.

7. Environmental and Sustainability Considerations

• Sustainable Materials: The use of eco-friendly and sustainable building materials is often overlooked in favor of cost-saving, but they are important for long-term sustainability.
• Energy Efficiency: Incorporating energy-efficient solar panels, geothermal heating, and efficient HVAC systems early in the design process can lead to significant cost savings and environmental benefits.

8. Outdoor Learning and Play Areas

• Outdoor Classrooms: Designing outdoor spaces for learning, such as gardens, amphitheaters, or science exploration areas, is often overlooked but can greatly enhance the educational experience.
• Playground Design: Thoughtful playground design incorporating various activities and learning opportunities, beyond just physical exercise, is sometimes neglected.

9. Circulation and Traffic Flow

• Efficient Traffic Flow: Proper planning of student and staff movement throughout the day, including arrival and dismissal times, is critical to avoid bottlenecks but is often underestimated.
• Separation of Pedestrian and Vehicle Traffic: Clear separation of student walking paths from vehicle drop-off and pick-up zones is essential for safety but can be overlooked in initial planning.

10. Future-Proofing and Technology Integration

• Technology Infrastructure: Early planning for robust IT infrastructure, including high-speed internet, ample power outlets, and smart classroom technology, is crucial but often an afterthought.
• Scalability: Designing with future expansion or technological upgrades in mind ensures the school can adapt over time without needing major redesigns.

11. Restroom Location and Design

• Convenient Access: Restrooms should be easily accessible from all areas of the school, but their placement is sometimes an afterthought.
• Privacy and Supervision: Balancing student privacy with the need for supervision in restroom areas is a nuanced design challenge that is often overlooked.

12. Ventilation and Air Quality

• Healthy Air Quality: Proper ventilation and air quality control are vital for a healthy learning environment, particularly in science labs, kitchens, and gyms, but may not be prioritized.
• Natural Ventilation: Incorporating natural ventilation systems to reduce reliance on HVAC systems can be an effective, sustainable design feature often overlooked.

13. Cafeteria Design

• Efficient Layout: An efficient cafeteria layout that minimizes waiting times and accommodates many students is essential but often underestimated.
• Multipurpose Use: Designing the cafeteria to be used for activities other than meal times, such as meetings or study areas, adds value to the space.

14. Faculty and Staff Areas

• Teacher Workspaces: Providing adequate, comfortable spaces for teachers to work, plan, and collaborate is crucial but sometimes under-prioritized.
• Break Rooms and Lounges: Properly designed break rooms and lounges for staff to recharge are essential for morale and productivity, yet are often inadequately designed.

15. Emergency Preparedness

• Emergency Exits and Routes: Planning for clear, accessible emergency exits and routes, including drills and signage, is critical but can be overlooked.
• Safe Zones: Modern school security planning requires designing safe zones for lockdown situations, such as secure classrooms or safe rooms.

By addressing these often-overlooked considerations, a school design can significantly enhance students’ and staff’s functionality, safety, and overall educational environment.

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Feel free to review some of our other articles:

Creating a Welcoming Environment Through Interior Design of Schools

Designing a School: 10 Steps To Open A School

School Construction Costs

How Much Area is Required to Set Up a School?

Workshop Series: Preparing for School Design Excellence

GSE set up schools in all areas of the world

GSE manage and operate schools in all areas of the world

CEO and Education Expert Greg Parry

Internationally renowned for his expertise in education leadership, Greg Parry’s vast experience includes leadership of projects for education institutions throughout Australia, the Middle East, the United States, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and China. Recognised for his numerous contributions in the education arena, Greg has received the Ministers Award for Excellence in School Leadership based on improvements in school performance and a range of successful principal training and leadership development programs, as well as the School of Excellence Award for Industry/School Partnerships and the School of Excellence Award for Technology Innovation. His company GSE (Global Services in Education) has been recognised as having the Best Global Brand in International Education in 2015 and 2016.

Considered one of the premier experts in his profession, Greg has trained teachers and principals throughout the world in areas such as critical thinking, language development and leadership. His expertise in school start up projects, leadership and curriculum development, has made him a sought after authority in these discipline.

www.gsineducation.com

Global Services in Education set up and operate schools in all parts of the world. Governed by a philosophy of global citizenship, every member of the GSE team shares a passion to help shape international education and student achievement through inspiration and collaboration.
Our goal is to meet the highest objectives of every school, teacher, student and parent, with an unwavering dedication to quality education, shared ideals and intercultural perspectives.