9. Negative Aspects in Space

What Impacts the Space: Negative Design Aspects

In this section I examine physical design problems that can impact the users of the learning space. This includes, issues or natural light and the problems of visual blocking (i.e. red posts). Poor layout for example, can impact the student's ability, by decreasing classroom motivation, and also impact a teacher's ability to maintain visual control and behavior of students.

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Daylight and Windows:

Studies have showed that natural light can provide benefits (both psychologically and physiologically) to students and teachers. These benefits include: improved mood, enhanced morale, and lower fatigue. But this is only achieved through careful implementation of windows and skylights etc, in a work-areas to reduce glaze (Edwards & Torcllini, 2004, p.16). Moreover, eye stress can lead to decrease in information processing and learning ability, and hinder student development.

External Facade Shade

The problem with the learning space is that the by chance (with the outside building facade) about a third of the room windows has natural light defused enough to reduce the effects of glare, but the other parts of the windows have no such external cover.  

Can anyone work this blind

While blinds are provided, they have issues of either difficult to raise or lower, and to manage how much light to let in equally and diffused enough to achieve benefits of natural lighting. Moreover, as you can see with the external facade shade, the student can still look through the window, yet the blinds prevent such a natural view and mood calming effect.

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My X-Ray vision not working

The Red Posts: By the fact that, to provide utility functions to each table (power, internet etc) from a pole from the ceiling to the floor, would indicate this  computer lab, was an after-thought. These functions should have been hidden within floor conduits.

The poles create both a visual pollution and blocks students view to other teams members in the tale settings, and may also block the lecturers ability to view the entire classroom, when conducting a lesson.


While in a higher educational context, keeping an eye on students behavior is relaxed (as students take greater responsibility for self-control), this may be an issue in lower-level schools, where children are easily distracted when out of teacher view and behavioral-control.

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References:

Edwards, L. & Torcllini, P. (2002). A Literature Review of the Effects of Natural Light on Building Occupants. NREL, 7(1), p.16-33

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