In this episode, I focus on school facilities design. How does the design of school buildings and classrooms impact student learning?
Mary Ruppenthal discusses future trends in school design. She is a registered architect and an Associate Principal at HED, one of the oldest and largest architecture and engineering firms in the country (www.hed.design).
She has nearly 30 years of experience in public and private sector educational, civic, and cultural design. Mary oversees Pre-K-12 and community education projects and has devoted her career to collaborating with school districts in the design of innovative, high-performing educational facilities that enhance the user experience, maximize efficiency, and help shape the future for students of all ages.
Apart from their homes, schools are where children spend most of their time. While curriculum and teaching methods are vital, one aspect that often goes unnoticed is the impact of school design on student performance. A well-designed educational environment can have a profound influence on student learning, engagement, and overall well-being.
Data showed the use of a pleasant, warm, and flexible learning space in both influencing students’ wellbeing and enhancing their academic marks.
In the long term, the results could reduce of the number of students who leave early, increased wellbeing of pupils with specific learning disorders, promote positive class social interactions (e.g.,reduction of bullying) and integration (e.g., reduction of ethnic prejudice), and prevention of teachers’ burn-out. The recent trends suggest that “classic” old-style schools are likely to disappear to leave room to new learning environments in the future.
To learn more about Mary Ruppenthal and HED, you can go to www.hed.design.
