Primary School City Kvart

The Impact of Learning on Spaces for Children

The primary school period is crucial for child development. During this time, school becomes the primary environment where children spend most of their time and are most influenced. The information they receive and the events they observe in this environment form the cornerstones of their socialization as healthy individuals. Education is a transformative process of inner growth and discovering the world around us. It is a subjective process that occurs when individuals perceive themselves as learning something new (Eduardo Shimahara). Therefore, the educational building should symbolize change. Educational spaces for primary-stage children should allow for thinking and experimenting without adult involvement, fostering responsibility for their actions and interactions with others, and enabling them to generate questions and discover answers independently. For children separated from their parents, primary school should be a place of belonging and safety, leaving a lasting impression on their memories. For children, learning is not about information transmission but experiencing the acquisition of knowledge. This experience-based process emphasizes the integrative aspect of space, making the school environment the center of teaching and learning.

Flexible uses and free solutions are essential for using the school as a social space. Open and flexible school designs challenge predefined structures, routines, and interaction practices. In flexible spaces, where classroom layouts can be easily changed to meet different needs, children become active subjects with the possibility to change and transform their environment. Adaptation to flexible designs allows teachers to create new learning environments. Children’s desire to exhibit their work and organize it in the school enhances their sense of ownership and belonging. Flexibility is crucial for accommodating varying concentration spans and interests.

There is a strong relationship between natural light, ventilation, and students’ socialization, educational performance, and attendance. Research shows that students’ math and reading scores increase in classrooms with more windows and good natural lighting. Openable windows positively affect achievement scores. Poor indoor air quality can cause health issues like allergies, asthma, and infectious diseases, known as “sick building syndrome.” Basic education schools, serving children aged 6-14, have the potential to teach sustainability awareness. Integrating solar and wind-based active systems into educational buildings can educate students about clean energy sources and necessary equipment. The school building itself can serve as a “three-dimensional textbook” in sustainability education, reflecting this idea in its design.