Importance of Interior Design to School | Westcountry Group

Interior design is about more than looking good – the physical layout of a building and its constituent rooms has a fundamental affect on the property’s inhabitants. Nowhere is this more true than in schools, colleges, and universities.

Multiple studies have shown that interior design for educational facilities impacts significantly on students and their ability to learn. In this article we look at some of the ways classroom designers can help improve the situation for students and staff alike…

Air quality and ventilation

Students, teachers, and staff spend hours at a time inside the school environment, so the quality of the air is of paramount importance. Good ventilation and a regular supply of fresh air is essential to keeping children alert during lessons.

Student friendly spaces

The layout of your school should be conducive to the learning experience. This means making the most of the available space with multi-use areas, easy passage between classrooms and other school locations, eliminating areas where students end up bottle-necked between lessons, and so on.

Comfortable seating

Classroom furniture is another key component to a productive school environment. Chairs and tables that are too comfortable might encourage napping in the classroom, while uncomfortable seating arrangements make it difficult to concentrate on the lesson at hand. Ergonomic chairs promote good posture and provide the ideal level of comfort for optimal learning.

Accessibility

Every child has the right to an education, so it’s important that nobody is excluded. This means making all reasonable efforts to ensure your school is accessible for students with mobility issues and other disabilities. You should ensure corridors and doorways are wheelchair-friendly, that you have an ample supply of modified desks and seating for disabled students, and anything else that allows for full inclusivity.

Visual appeal

The idea of schools as drab, brown boxes that children attend for their mandated daily learning is a concept that has long-since fallen out of favour. Visual stimuli has a marked affect on education – everything from the colour of the walls to the posters you display in each classroom.

Lighting

Linked to visual appeal is getting the lighting right. Natural light is best for concentration, so larger windows are a major plus in this area. Where this isn’t always possible (be it for budgetary reasons, or because of the layout of the school) invest in artificial lighting that is easy on the eyes, limiting the risk of tiredness and eye strain.

Here at Westcountry Group, our experienced classroom designers bring years of expertise to every school project. For the very best in interior design for educational facilities, give the team a call on 0330 030 0330 to discuss your requirements or to arrange a free consultation.