INTERIORS 75 An education in colour
It is well known that colour can have a profound impact on building occupants; Dawn Scott at Dulux Trade explains how in educational environments, it can be used to enhance learning and wellbeing for students.
A
cross the built environment, colour is used to bring life to spaces and evoke specifi c emotions within
building occupants. When used correctly, colour can be used to make students feel at ease in a high stress exam room or energised in the gymnasium. However, if used incorrectly, students’ performance and wellbeing may be negatively impacted. For example, four experiments found that even briefl y looking at the colour red before an important test, such as an IQ test or exam, impaired performance.
It is therefore vital that architects work closely with clients to determine what each space will be used for and how they want students to feel in that space. In doing this, architects can create colour schemes that place the occupant and use of the space at their centre, ensuring effective and inclusive designs that help students to thrive.
Psychology of colour When used correctly, colour can improve behaviour and encourage creativity within educational environments. Every colour evokes emotion, so it is important to think about the use of the space when designing schemes. For example, pale blues and greens are often associated with relaxation and tranquillity. This means that they are ideal for high stress environments like classrooms, exam halls and medical rooms where calm and focus are needed. On the contrary, bolder hues like yellow and orange can bring a sense of energy and excitement and lend themselves to spaces like gymnasiums and canteens where energy and play are encouraged.
Ensuring inclusivity Everyone is different, which means learning environments must be adaptable to suit as many needs as possible. While a calming, distraction free classroom design might work for some students, other learners may need a bolder colour scheme to bring out
ADF SEPTEMBER 2025
their creativity. As such, architects should consider offering options for students, with some spaces designed for focus and others for stimulation.
Creating visual contrast To ensure everyone can move through a building as easily as possible, architects need to consider visual contrast across critical surfaces. Building Regulations Approved Document M, volume two and the British Code of Practice: BS8300- 2:2018, which align with the Equality Act 2010, recommend that a minimum visual contrast of 30 Light Refl ectance Value
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
