Student Voices on School Design

Eight Recommendations for School Design Excellence in the 21st CenturyEight Recommendations for School Design Excellence in the 21st Century

Developed at the AAF National Summit on School Design, 2005

1. Design Schools to Support a Variety of Learning Styles

2. Enhance Learning by Integrating Technology

3. Foster a “Small School” Culture

4. Support Neighborhood Schools

5. Create Schools as Centers of Community

6. Engage the Public in the Planning Process

7. Make Healthy, Comfortable, & Flexible Learning Spaces

8. Consider Non-Traditional Options for School Facilities

For more on the National Summit on School Design, visit

www.archfoundation.org

1American Architectural Foundation | Voice of the Student on School Design

The Voice of the Student on School Design project was undertaken in 2008

to identify how students believe the design of their schools affects their to identify how students believe the design of their schools affects their

ability to learn, create, and succeed. Based on the comprehensive analysis

of over 250 entries from the 2007 Redesign Your School contest, the project

provides the most significant U.S. data to date on student attitudes about

school design, from unwelcoming hallways and unforgiving library chairs to

ideal learning environments that inspire and engage. The American

Architectural Foundation (AAF) believes these findings can be a tool for

meaningful change for educators, policy leaders and architects across the

country, as they strive to build better schools.


This overriding question guided the analysis; the answer came from the

students. students.


A high-school student in Santa Barbara, Calif., conveys the essence of what a

school should be–a complex environment that inspires. school should be–a complex environment that inspires.

Quotes included in this presentation were selected because they were

representative of common ideas shared by many of the participating

students.


When asked, young people made the connection between education and

the design of their school. Overwhelmingly, students said they believe more the design of their school. Overwhelmingly, students said they believe more

flexible facilities would support innovative teaching. With the words and

phrases in their essays, they voted for daylighting and made clear they

expect technology and “green” design to be integrated into the learning

environment. And they insisted on connecting to the outdoors. They also

linked the shape of a classroom to lessons learned in it.


The Voice of the Student on School Design project began with a design

contest called Redesign Your School: A Contest of Scholarly Proportions contest called Redesign Your School: A Contest of Scholarly Proportions

conducted by AAF in partnership with Target. The goal was to engage 9th

through 12th grade students to envision an ideal school–in 1,000 words and

a variety of visuals modes: drawings, models, computer-generated graphics,

etc. Thousands of students expressed interest.

Completed entries from over 250 teens in 40 states provided layers of

attitudes and aspirations. This summary of the analysis offers fresh

perspective on the crucial relationship students have with schools. Despite

the lure of the virtual world, students still envision school as a key place to

learn, but they envision that learning space very differently from their

current experience of school.


What is an ideal school according to students? Unfettered by budgets or

zoning considerations, students sketched fantastic structures. zoning considerations, students sketched fantastic structures.

Fundamentally, they envisioned buildings that were spacious, warm,

inviting, human scale, village-like, and colorful, with plenty of fresh air and

sunlight. They also identified the need for places to talk to college

counselors, to convene with friends, and to read, study, or maybe hang out

alone.


Students drew environmentally attuned, energy-efficient buildings, with

natural light, ventilation, solar or geothermal power and built with natural light, ventilation, solar or geothermal power and built with

sustainable bamboo and other natural materials. Students emphasized

recycling and organic food. They also wondered why schools weren’t

designed as teaching tools–for instance, why couldn’t a hallway be shaped

like a strand of DNA?


Students mentioned stress and anxiety, overcrowding, uncomfortable

seating, prison-like classrooms and buildings, as well as chaotic hallways. seating, prison-like classrooms and buildings, as well as chaotic hallways.

Their essays made clear that studying 21st-century lessons is a daily struggle

in classrooms conceived for the 1900s. Their imagery attempted to resolve

those issues through complex visualizations.

This student’s vision of a library in a tree seems to say that learning needs to

be serious, but the process and place doesn’t have to be. This is a distinction

between curriculum, process and place noted by many of the students—a

distinction that is often overlooked by others.


This student’s vision of school is connected to the outdoors. Research has shown that human stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces,

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shown that human stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces, and that patients in hospitals respond positively to images of lush greenery. Without necessarily knowing this research, students intuited it. They included access to the outdoors, increased permeability of the environment to school surroundings, and indoor gardens in their images of ideal schools.

American Architectural Foundation | Voice of the Student on School Design

This student describes bringing the outdoors inside to activate space and

create new, non-traditional learning places. Further, she creatively envisions create new, non-traditional learning places. Further, she creatively envisions

a way to spark the desire to learn, a core purpose of schools, in her

description of an ideal school design.


In their designs and essays, students made clear that schools must integrate

the technology–laptops, cell phones and music players–that is already in the technology–laptops, cell phones and music players–that is already in

their backpacks. The student essays and images clearly integrate today's

technology and envisioned tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

As seen above, one student created future school library technology, while

another envisioned harnessing the energy of students in the hallways to

generate electricity to power the lights.


To determine which themes and concerns might inform the national debate

on school design excellence, the American Architectural Foundation invited on school design excellence, the American Architectural Foundation invited

an interdisciplinary team to analyze the students’ contest entries.


The team considered qualitative and quantitative aspects of the students’

design concepts.design concepts.


Students had been asked at the outset to consider eight principles for school

design excellence developed at the 2005 National Summit on School Design.design excellence developed at the 2005 National Summit on School Design.


Student aspirations and Summit principles meshed in some areas. There was

more than 75 percent support for “healthy, comfortable and flexible” more than 75 percent support for “healthy, comfortable and flexible”

learning spaces, a key tenet of the Summit. However, the student group

assigned less importance to size (just 52 of 250 favored fostering a “small

school” culture) and proximity to home (only 40 of 250 saw a particular

need for “neighborhood” high schools) than to updated technology and

adaptable space.


Analysts dug deeper into the essays to elicit more subtle themes. More than

60 percent of the students mentioned the importance of outdoor access. 60 percent of the students mentioned the importance of outdoor access.

Nearly half the students mentioned feelings and emotions. Forty percent of

the students mentioned structure and organization of school programs and

curriculum. Security and safety emerged as an issue for 55 of the 250

students, while 39 were especially concerned about food and fitness.


This student recognizes the connection between the built environment and

her experience of it. her experience of it.


In their choice of words–such as “project-based,” “campus,” and “real

world”–the students signaled readiness for varied teaching models as well world”–the students signaled readiness for varied teaching models as well

as a desire for educational links to the community. They saw collaborative

studies as a path to leadership and responsibilities. They understood that

boxed-in classrooms and rows of desks did not put them on that path.

Students incorporated corridors, areas under stairs and around lockers in

their concepts of alternative learning spaces.


Students envisioned teachers as “facilitators” rather than lecturers. In the

role of facilitator teachers support new learning opportunities in the eyes of role of facilitator teachers support new learning opportunities in the eyes of

the student. Then, like the students, these facilitators would benefit from

more flexible space.


Without necessarily realizing it, this student envisions a possible avenue for

school reform and the acquisition of 21st century skills.school reform and the acquisition of 21st century skills.


Students drew clear pictures with their words–“one on one,” “interact,”

“studio,” and “small group.” They envisioned the need for dormitories for “studio,” and “small group.” They envisioned the need for dormitories for

children with problems at home; daycare for students with children, and a

café for anyone who missed breakfast. One student suggested covering the

walls with canvas to encourage budding Van Goghs.


The desire for flexibility can be read as a vote for changing the scenery to

suit the educational assignment or to fit the changing needs of young adults. suit the educational assignment or to fit the changing needs of young adults.

The educational implication is compelling: students want variety built into

space and schedule.


This quote illustrates students’ awareness that education already happens

outside the classroom but could be more effective if given as much outside the classroom but could be more effective if given as much

attention as classroom design.


Students used a fluid vocabulary to describe the variety of social interactions

that occur in the course of a school day. The importance of peer-to-peer that occur in the course of a school day. The importance of peer-to-peer

communication and small group study emerged clearly, along with their

desire to “hang out” with fellow students. This aligns with developmental

theory that explains how social interaction is necessary for the maturation

of young adults. Thoughtful space planning could accommodate this form of

“social learning.”


The concepts behind the words imply a need for welcoming social spaces in

which to engage other students, or even teachers, in a meaningful way. which to engage other students, or even teachers, in a meaningful way.

Students wished schools were more comfortable.


A recurring theme in the contest entries was that school requires students

to turn off their personal technology and use outdated and often to turn off their personal technology and use outdated and often

inadequate school technological resources. This causes a disconnection with

the real world, especially as better technology might exist in their own

backpacks.


The use of technology by this generation is a dominant theme. For good or

bad, their world is open content, open source. With file sharing, blogs, wikis, bad, their world is open content, open source. With file sharing, blogs, wikis,

tagging, social bookmarking, podcasts, video logs, and peer-productions

students can speak their minds on almost any topic, at any time of day,

without filters. Students made clear that technology is already integrated in

their lives and they want it fully integrated in school to enhance their

learning.


The students’ understanding of technology extends beyond personal

gadgets to high-performance building systems and geothermal heat sources. gadgets to high-performance building systems and geothermal heat sources.

The students recognized the potential of technology to enhance the lessons

they are learning; for instance, virtual reality headsets to experience history,

or video conferences to speak with native speakers in language classes.


As the quote indicates, students are constructing their own pathways to

information rather than simply receiving information from the teacher. At information rather than simply receiving information from the teacher. At

the same time, they value the teacher as one who helps construct a

framework for learning that will last a lifetime.


Across the board, students from urban, rural and suburban schools

expressed a need for greater connection to the outdoors. expressed a need for greater connection to the outdoors.


Students valued the outdoors for varied reasons. For them, a school garden

could promote healthy eating; skylights could reduce stress; fresh air could could promote healthy eating; skylights could reduce stress; fresh air could

decrease illnesses; time outside could promote a love of nature; and using

outdoor spaces could reduce energy costs.


Students continue to react against the old models of school design. They

feel that the very structure of schools need to be rethought and updated to feel that the very structure of schools need to be rethought and updated to

reflect 21st century expectations they have for themselves.


The Voice of the Student offers a unique opportunity to understand critical

issues about the learning environment, as perceived by the most under-issues about the learning environment, as perceived by the most under-

represented voice in school design—the students. AAF anticipates the

project findings will inform educators, policy makers, and architects who

make decisions that affect these young clients each school day. It is time to

listen to the voices of students.


The American Architectural Foundation (AAF) is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to educate individuals and community leaders about the power of that seeks to educate individuals and community leaders about the power of architecture to transform lives and improve the places where we live, learn, work, and play. Through numerous outreach programs, grants, and education resources, the AAF inspires to become more thoughtful and engaged stewards of the built environment. AAF’s Great Schools by Design initiative aims to improve the quality of America’s schools by promoting good design, encouraging collaboration in the design process, and providing leading-edge resources that empower schools and communities to transform themselves. At AAF, we seek to make individuals and communities aware of their vital role in shaping the world around them. For more information, please visit us online at www.archfoundation.org.

Great design is the essence of the Target brand. Target partners with world-class designers to offer amazing products at affordable prices. Since day one, Target company founders recognized that the appeal of smart, stylish, well-designed products and stores would set Target apart. Today, Target operates more than 1,613 stores in 47 states nationwide. Committed to local communities, Target gives back near $3 million a week through grants and special programs in the fields of education, the arts, disaster preparedness and relief. With AAF, Target is a presenting sponsor of Great Schools by Design and Redesign Your School: A Competition of Scholarly Proportions. For more information about Target, visit www.target.com.

On behalf of AAF, OWP/P conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Redesign Your School contest entries and presented initial findings to a national audience on November 13, 2008, on which this pdf is based. With offices in Chicago and Phoenix, OWP/P provides integrated architecture, interior design, engineering and consulting services to clients worldwide. OWP/P collaborates with public and private clients in civic, corporate, education, finance, health care, hospitality, law, and retail industries to design healthy, energy-efficient solutions that work from the inside out. For more information about OWP/P, visit www.owpp.com.


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Student Voices on School Design