Creative Education-Enhancing Environments
âThe Ministry of Education is avid to lay on premium standards of learning environment on all measures, focusing principally on education process and its key elements such as administration and mavens and fortifying understructure facilities; in such a way it function its master role in creating a patriotic citizen devoted to his community and appreciates cooperative group work and embraces work values and able to cope with long-life learning strategies âŚ.â The Omani Ministry of Education (2012)
In 1995, after the declaration of âVision of Oman's economy 2020â. A Strategic and Operational plan had been initiated in 2001 to ensure that students will be adequately prepared for the requirements of higher education and labor market, and ensure improvement in quality of education provided for Omani generations. As due to the increased local authoritiesâ interest in educational reform, various responsibilities were dedicated to planners and educators to produce creative educational environments that could enhance educational outcome of students in the Sultanate.
A.2 Background and Motivations
Throughout my education and practice I have developed a passion for psychology and sociology subjects, studying human behavior, its origins, developments, institutions, and how âArchitecture, the physical form of social institutions, must respond to changes in conventions of behavior and it may stimulate new ways of behavingâ (Ackerman, 1969) Associating the physical built environment design with a psychological impact on its occupants, has always been fascinating to me and a major driving force for my design works, enriching my pursuit of this project.
Audience of project will vary between, Public sector experts; Omani government officials, educational policy makers, local educators and planners and another Private sector, commercial audience of interested investors and Private school owners.
Users on the other hand will be students (ages 5-18), Teachers, Administration, parents and occasional visitors.
B.1 Theoretical, Critical and Historical
Throughout history, educational facility design and its association with educational impact has been a main concern of planners, policymakers as well as educators. Some argued against this, suggesting that previous studies had no inclusive findings. (Picus et al., 2005). Recently, however today many relevant studies have been conducted offering a great deal of precise empirical data, linking educational outcome to physical environment. In the beginnings of 2015, the HEAD project (Barrett et al., 2015) results were finalized, exploring evidence for demonstrable impacts of school building design on the learning rates of pupils in primary schools in the UK. It measured the contributing effect, of factors of Naturalness, Individualization and Level of stimulation as 16% upon student performance.
B.2 Social, Ethical and Global
âVision Oman 2020â outlines proposals for the Sultanateâs overall development up to 2020. It takes into account the broad changes in the world economy and impacts of globalization, information technology, expansion of global Knowledge, and the development of human skills that are becoming essential for Omani societyâs progress leading the government to attach particular value to education and embark on reforming the entire educational system. (âVision 2020â, 1994). Hanging huge hopes of educational and social reform on such projects.
B.3 Contemporary Professional Practice
âIt is very significant that our first project in London is the Evelyn Grace Academy. Schools are among the first examples of architecture that everyone experiences and have a profound impact on all children as they grow up.â (Zaha Hadid)
The Evelyn Grace Academy, is a successful example today of contemporary educational facility design. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The firm managed to break new ground in school design, following the principle of âschools within schoolsâ, they managed to fit 1200 pupils of Evelyn and Grace Middle and Upper schools in a single highly stylized zigzag of steel and glass, in one of the tightest sites in London. The firm reinforced the interactive nature of IEQ (indoor environmental quality); they made sure that all their designed spaces offered a generous environment with maximum levels of natural light, ventilation and minimalist but durable textures. Issues of connectivity and circulation were also addressed and kept efficient with a horizontal two floor organization. Finally they made the school adaptive to the needs of this century, serving the educational demands of its community as well as sharing its ground floor amenities with the community off school hours. (Zaha Hadid Architects)
C.1 Concept statements and scenario
Since centuries many educational facility designs have been produced that are somehow considered as substandard by their users, as they barely responded to human psychological and physiological needs, instead they were identical components merely remodeled onto new locations. Â My project âCreative Education-enhancing Environmentsâ aims to break-ground in educational facility design, and create an attractive and unique educational environment that is responsible for the educational performance of its users, and able to communicate a sense of place, identity and meaning with 21st century educational purpose.
Concept will introduce a holistic design approach responding to environmental stimuli that have been proven by various studies, to counter for positive impacts on user performance. Design will stress on factors of Naturalness and (IEQ), address Individualization, use-related factors, and provide for an Appropriate level of stimulation through various design-related aspects. (Barrett, Zhang, et al., 2015)
Stress factors of âNaturalnessâ and (IEQ)
Goal: Building orientation emphasizing Natural Light
Classrooms to be arranged towards the east and west receiving abundant daylight and less risk of glare.
Over sized glazing to be avoided as Oman is particularly known for its hot climate with almost six months of unbearable heat.
Use of more, high quality electrical lighting enhancing visual environment.
Goal: Good Air-quality and Thermal Comfort
Use appropriate Ventilation units to provide Fresh air and adapt users to thermal environment, taking into consideration Omanâs hot climate.
Provide adequate external and internal shading devices in-response to Ventilation and Natural lighting requirements.
Design spaces considering the relation between room volume, opening size and ceiling height; as their variation provides varying ventilation options.
Goal: Acoustic control over unwanted background noises
Orient design on site as far away as possible from any surrounding noises.
Use Acoustical Panels & Soundproofing Materials where needed.
Address factors of âIndividualizationâ
Goal: Encourage flexibility in space layout and design
Well-defined learning zones that facilitate age-appropriate learning options, efficiently connected to a number of common âbreakoutâ zones
More zones within a classroom as part and school as a whole, allowing varied learning activities at the same time.
Re-configurable classroom layout, furniture and partitions, providing ease for teachers to change space layout according to need.
Fixed Glass partitions in the middle of a busy area can help keep the mind awake
Spacious, simple spaces for senior grades, but more complex, spatial configurations for junior grades.
Goal: encourage attitudes of Ownership
Personalized displays and announcement boards for the different ongoing events
Portray works of users and others along paths and common areas
High-quality, colorful, ergonomic and purpose-designed Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment
Variety of ergonomic sitting areas providing choice and comfort
Provide an âAppropriate Level of Stimulationâ
Goal: Focus on different user pragmatics, emphasizing activity ritual
Define pragmatic essentials and desirables as 3D Volumes
Clearly define pathways, entrances and exits in project
Create paths for chance meetings
Clear way-finding characteristics
Accessible utilitarian functions
Goal: Achieve a balanced level of complexity within spaces
School and Classroom layout, ceiling and displays, need to be designed as a quiet and uncluttered, visual environment.
School and Classroom layout should provide diverse opportunities for alternative learning activities.
Goal: Use color that enhances and stimulates preferable interactions
Color code zones; warm color schemes for senior grades, but cool, bright color schemes for junior grades.
Implement appropriate color schemes where mostly effective, i.e. on walls and floors.
Use color on furniture and displays
Highlight white walls with vivid and or light color.
Selected Work Procedure is Synoptic, itâs an explicitly rational and comprehensive logical progression, which involves the following phases:
Framework definition, Data Collection and Analysis
Defining design intention in terms of Goals and Objectives with respect to Function
Concept Elaboration and Evaluation
Time and Budget estimates
Phase b: Delivery and Implementation I
Design Development â Resource Consent if required
Detailed Design: preparing all relevant Construction Drawings and Specification
Phase c: Delivery and Implementation II
Building Consent and Tendering/Negotiating
D.2 Materials and Techniques
Project will adopt two main design philosophies or, and techniques, they are:
Sustainability, generally viewed as a design method implemented in design and operation of a structure to reduce the overall negative impact of the built environment on human health and natural environment. A philosophy that works hand in hand with my conceptual proposal. That is usually attained by optimizing passive design strategies for energy conservation, sustainable etiologies and project based learning opportunities, through:
Efficiently using energy, water and other resources
Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation
Choosing products and materials that are both Eco-friendly and beautiful
âAs humans, we spend 90% of our time indoors. Weâre of the mindset that time should be spent in spaces that allow us to breathe easy, give us views of nature and daylight, and make us healthier and more productive.â LEED (2014)
Modern approach, offering neat, clean layouts with bare walls and large open floor plans. Using simple streamlined furniture, bold geometric shapes for displays, and asymmetry as a general design strategy. Natural connections between the exterior views and the interior design, adding appeal to indoor and outdoor spaces satisfying age appropriate needs for comfort, safety and a definite sense of belonging.
Picus, L. O., Marion, S. F., Calvo, N. and Glenn, W. J. (2005) âUnderstanding the Relationship between Student Achievement and the Quality of Educational Facilities: Evidence from Wyomingâ, Peabody Journal of Education, 80(3), pp. 71â95
Barrett, P., Davies, F., Zhang, Y. and Barrett, L. (2015) âThe impact of classroom design on pupilsâ learning: Final results of a holistic, multi-level analysisâ, Building and Environment, 89, pp. 118â133. 2015.02.013.
âVision 2020â (1994).
Stevenson, K. R. Educational Trends Shaping School Planning and Design: 2007. Available at: www.edfacilities.org (Accessed: 26 March 2015).
Zaha Hadid Architects. Available at: http://www.zaha-hadid.com/ (Accessed: 1 April 2015).
Barrett, P., Zhang, Y., Davies, F. and Barrett, L. (2015) Clever Classrooms - Summary report of the HEAD Project.
LEED (2014) âGetting to know LEED: Interior Design and Construction (ID+C)â, LEED.Â
