Conditions for Learning - Can Architecture Support and Enhance These?

Over the last few years there has been much research and discussions about the most important elements found in schools that positively affect student performance.  Often called conditions of learning or C.O.L.  There may be others, but four of the most common are:

• the presence of clear behavioral expectations

• the generation of abundant opportunities to build skills through practice

• the provision of rewards and recognition for students meeting expectations

• the cultivation of positive relationships between teachers and students built on trust and esteem

Most would agree that there is a statistical correlation between the presence of these conditions and student success at end of term testing.  

One of the challenges in our Learning Environments Studio is to explore the influence and impact of these conditions on the physical environment.  Can we enhance, integrate and improve any or all of these conditions in the physical environment thru the use of technology, graphics, games, lessons, shapes, materials and concepts to improve student performance? We think it can and should be done.  Below are simple and cost effective examples of how these ideas may manifest themselves in a gym. Your thoughts? 

Length, Width, Distance, Movement, Addition concepts enhanced in gymnasium design 

Length, Width, Distance, Movement, Addition concepts enhanced in gymnasium design

Incorporating Residential Design Elements Into Heathcare Facilities

An increasing amount of evidence is being released to support the theory that patients heal faster in environments in which they feel most comfortable. One of the best ways to promote comfort in a heathcare facility among patients, family, and staff is to design an environment that feels natural to everyone involved. People tend to feel most natural and comfortable in their homes, thus an extremely effective way to make a facility feel most natural is to incorporate residential design elements.

Informal lounges and café areas strategically sprinkled throughout a facility can help break up the monotony of a typical hospital layout. These casual areas give visitors a place to relax to check their emails or make a call. Oftentimes, family members and friends of a patient will stay several days with the patient, and these areas can help give a much needed psychological release.

Improvements in building material technology for healthcare application have expanded architects' horizons in choosing materials. Textures and materials that were once not suitable for healthcare use because they didn't meet the strict sanitation requirement have now been optimized for utilization in heathcare facilities. In most cases, not only have these materials been made available for healthcare use, but they provide a net improvement in sanitation and infection control when compared to the outdated materials.

Use of color and light are also two major factors when implementing residential design elements into healthcare facilities. A typical hospital has dull, monotonous lighting which can promote feelings of fear and/or discomfort. This problem can be easily fixed by combining more natural light sources with non-florescent, direct, and indirect task lighting to create ideal lighting conditions. Color choices that provoke feelings of comfort can be chosen to further improve the patient experience. Use of wood grains with a combination of warm and cool colors will help patients feel most at home.

One of the best parts of incorporating residential design elements into healthcare design is that does not require building a brand new facility. Residential design can be incorporated into an existing facility through a simple redesign, thus saving money and time.