external areas
Maximise your green and open space potential
Incorporating biophilic design into the modern learning environment has far reaching benefits and can be affordable to implement given a more strategic approach, says Adam Ralph.
levels. Well-maintained buildings and attractively landscaped grounds are vital in helping to create a positive, productive and healthy learning environment. The obvious benefit with the provision
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of green spaces is that it affords the opportunity for physical exercise and outdoor activity. However, not all facilities are fortunate to have acres of outdoor space at their disposal. Even without the economic pressures that have driven the selling off of playing fields, we’re becoming an increasingly urbanised society. Indeed, more than half the world’s
population lives in cities, so it’s not exactly practical for every child to attend school in the middle of a forest. However, as urbanisation reduces the amount of green space within educational settings, design can play a role in maximising those assets that are available to maintain or reintroduce nature to our educational buildings and spaces. It is important to make whatever space is available as multifunctional as
REATING aesthetically pleasing spaces in and around learning environments is important on many
possible, for instance, by exploring the potential that landscapes provide for learning. There is much to be learned from the introduction of nature. Habitat creation and conservation (ie ponds, bird and bat boxes, habitat hotels and pollen rich planting) provide excellent opportunities for students to learn about the natural environment. However, the natural world can also be used to learn about key subjects on the national
curriculum, such as maths and science. For education, there is a growing body
of evidence that demonstrates that biophilic educational spaces have the ability to improve performance and the wellbeing of both staff members and students. For example, a study conducted among schoolchildren in Barcelona in 2015 indicated that green spaces could actually boost cognitive outcomes in children. Results showed that children who had more vegetation around their schools showed more progress in working memory and attention over the course of a year. Spending time in and around nature
has also been correlated with better mental health, attention and mood in both children and adults. Recent research has found that our attention capacity (essential for our cognitive functioning) is restored when we come into contact with nature. Beyond these direct benefits to pupils, there’s clearly an important environmental dimension in terms of reducing CO2 around schools, while green spaces are also known to reduce city noise and stress while increasing opportunities for exercise. >
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