Working collectively in the instructional design space for 26 years, we understand that students and teachers need environments to support learning. Classrooms must be designed to listen and participate; study spaces should be calm and quiet. And yet, these environments are often noisy and full of unintentional distractions, overlooking design elements that make it easy to focus.
In addition to noise reduction, students require a harmonious balance between lighting, temperature, air quality, and intentional design to maximize their focus during their long days. Ninety-two percent of teachers We believe that classroom design has a strong impact on student learning, and rugs, color, and furnishings are just a few elements that can help enhance learning spaces.
Understanding the need to balance these components, we always approach instructional design by writing inclusive spaces with adaptable features. It is important that the designs address the demands of today’s modern classrooms and demonstrate how designers and architects can create a comforting, student-centered design. By integrating noise-absorbing elements for focused learning, supporting classroom productivity and creativity with color, and reconfiguring classroom design to inspire collaboration, both students and teachers are better positioned to succeed.
Acoustic optimization
Many classrooms have a speech intelligibility rate of 75 percent or lessY 50 percent of newly qualified teachers suffer from voice losspartly attributed to classrooms with poor acoustics. Noise, echoes, reverberation, and room modes interfere with students’ ability to hear. and accurately understand speech. Inaccurate hearing disrupts concentration, classroom behavior, and content consumption.
Despite being a prominent topic that greatly transforms learning, acoustics have been a neglected aspect of classroom design. As designers, architects, and educators, it is important to consider all design components that influence classroom noise. The integration of fabric-wrapped acoustic wall panels, ceiling tiles that rank highly in the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) scale, and opting for softer design materials and decorations are key elements for noise absorption. All of these design details are attributed to better academic performance and encourage focused energy.
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When we design classrooms, we use a combination of these methods, avoiding hard surfaces where possible and choosing soft furnishings and rugs for additional sound-absorbing properties. Designers can also tailor classroom design with carpet backing pad options that reduce noisy distractions and absorb the impacts of the heavily trafficked floor.
Color integration for purposeful movement
Color is also an influential aspect of classroom learning, as it affects behavior, performance, and intention. From saturated hues that signal fun and play to muted neutrals that communicate calm and focus, the colors and patterns that house them influence behavior. Identifying the desired energy in the room determines what colors and patterns to use in furniture, decorations, exposed structures, and flooring. Designers should welcome colorful chairs and posters in play areas, while desks should reflect a minimalist aesthetic to encourage student concentration. The use of color in designated areas indicates to students the behavior that is expected of them.
For example, implementing a pod design in educational projects can create collaboration between different grade levels. Using colors to designate grades or specific areas of the building lets students know where they need to be and subconsciously signals their expectations for behavior. For example, first grade classrooms could have yellow accents, second grade green, and third grade red, while common spaces incorporate the colors of adjacent and blended grade groups. In these areas of the classroom that require more focused energy, we use a muted pattern mix so students can focus on their studies and teachers have the flexibility to decorate however they like.
However, we opted for dynamic, energetic patterns to represent engagement in areas that allow for more student collaboration, such as in the media center. This approach to floor design allows children to intuitively know how to behave based on where they are.
Photo courtesy of RTA Arquitectos
Design for all learning styles
Over the last decade, we have seen a significant increase in schools prioritizing collaborative design and flexibility to accommodate different learning styles. Since students are constantly on the move and switching between activities, the ergonomic and Montessori design of the classroom allows for this adaptable learning style. No student learns in the same way, yet traditional classrooms are uniformly structured for one method of learning.
Incorporating adjustable chairs or desks, limiting distracting decorations, and finding the right soft lighting are all ways to intentionally design classrooms. These elements aim to optimize comfort, limit sensory overload and increase productivity. Instead of children concentrating too much on sitting still, they are free to move around so that their full attention is on the subject at hand.
Photo courtesy of RTA Arquitectos
There are many ways designers and architects can prioritize student-centered design for better classroom learning. The design must take into account various learning styles while ensuring that students are encouraged to collaborate and connect with their teachers and peers. With the combination of soft and dynamic carpet patterns, noise-reducing materials, and elements that signal purpose, students are well-equipped to comfortably blend into their classroom. And while not every school can complete a complete renovation, classrooms and collaborative spaces can simply be redecorated or designed for all students.
