An institutional space requires maximum optimization of light and ventilation. Schools require open, bright places and the best design uses the benefits of natural lighting and ventilation. As a school predominantly functions only during the daytime, daylight, and wind can be enough for the students, depending on the design of the spaces. This lessens the use of electricity and overall makes a positive impact on the environment.
List of Contents
Orientation
Buildings elongated along the east-west axis allow maximum daylight from the north. North light is less harsh and less harmful to humans and so is suitable during school hours. If the buildings have longer facades perpendicular to the east-west direction, the chances of the building getting heated up is higher, because of the sun’s rays falling on the longer sides.
Openings
Windows, skylights, and all walls can be used instead of full-height masonry walls, to bring in ample daylight and ventilation within the spaces. This reduces the use and expense involved in providing artificial lighting and combats the effects of heat produced through electrical lights.
Jaali Walls
Apart from the use of windows and other openings the use of cost-effective methods like jaali walls, can be more impactful. It allows air to flow within the room through its openings thus ventilating the rooms, making the interiors more comfortable. Jaali walls can also be a source for light to enter, providing interesting patterns and play of light and shadow. The use of Jaali also elements big openings and provides privacy to the interior spaces.
Shading Devices
Exterior sunshades act as shading devices and prevent sunlight from falling directly, avoiding glare and sending uniform light into the rooms. Sunshades are generally provided over openings like windows and doors, though it is advisable to construct a continuous sunshade along the entire wall as it helps in avoiding absorption and transfer of heat through the walls. Shading devices aren't just functional but can be aesthetically pleasing while creating a unique facade or view.
Trees - a natural shading device
Trees and shrubs are natural shading elements. Growing creepers on the south walls of the buildings will avoid harsh direct sunlight from entering the rooms. They also absorb the heat from the outside allowing for a much cooler inside. In schools, the addition of trees imparts a close relationship with nature for the students. Thus the positioning of trees in the layout plays an important role in the school.
Courtyards in Schools
Having internal courtyards facilitates the natural movement of air within these spaces, thus aiding cross-ventilation. It also acts as a light well in buildings with a floor-wise design. Courtyards are perfect for institutes as they provide ample space between the classrooms. Instead of a regular corridor, courtyards provide a multifunction space. These spaces can be used for discussions, gatherings, workshops, and more. It is a great addition to informal spaces while in the safety of the institution. Playgrounds and assembly areas are designated in these courtyards.
Natural Ventilation
Warm air is light and hence rises up. Cool air which is heavy, enters the space left by the warm air within a room. This helps in having wind movement. Appropriate openings at the top of the room, or at the roof level, will allow rising warm air to escape, bringing in prevailing cooler winds into the rooms. This will help in keeping the rooms well-ventilated as well as in maintaining cooler temperatures inside.
Regulation of Wind Flow
The position of openings plays an important role in the school design. The openings should be in the windward direction for the air to get inside, as well as on the opposite wall, for the air to get out. This ensures cross-ventilation and air movement within the spaces. In a tropical climate like Kerala, with high humidity, air movement gives thermal comfort. This is why, while standing on the beach under the hot sun, one does not feel the heat due to the flow of wind.
Colour
The interior of a school makes a great influence on the learning experience of a child. Using colour as a design technique has a psychological effect on children. Colour and light can affect them on a cognitive and physical level. It affects the mood, attention, creativity, feeling of safety and comfort levels in a space.
Pre- Primary and Primary classrooms
Young children find high contrast or bright colours like orange and yellow stimulating. Yellow increases adrenaline levels, improving the spirit of learning new concepts.
Secondary and Higher Secondary
Adolescent children respond to colours such as blue and green, as they are less distracting and stress-inducing. The colour red is said to increase both aggression and appetite and therefore is not widely used in schools.
Colours for the Interiors
Using light colour shades for the interiors makes the room bright with just daylight. Using dark colours on walls may make the room dull leading to improper vision for the students.
Ceilings or upper portions of the wall could be white to aid in providing good lighting.
Colours in the front of rooms behind marker boards and projection screens should be darker than in other areas to reduce light reflections.
Signage
The necessity of signage in schools is to orient the children, staff and also the public within a school layout. Signage will help direct them from one space to another, also giving information about all the rooms in that space, activity spaces and other amenities available in the school. These can be represented by labelling the buildings, showing maps, routes, and milestones that can be installed within the campus. The most important blocks that can be mentioned in a school layout may be, entry, and exit points, administration blocks, classroom blocks, toilet facilities, parking etc.
“You Are Here” maps can be installed within the campus of the school to help orient students, teachers and visitors. These maps can be at the entrances, corridors, and at other gathering points within the campus. This can also be a learning exercise to help children read and understand maps, improving their spatial reasoning skills.
Signage can also be represented on boards, walls, corridors, floors etc. This can be done by mentioning the destination along with the distance. For example, the music room is 20 metres away from the classroom. This will help the students to have an awareness of the distances and measurements.
Milestone Signage
Milestones are one of the methods of signage in schools. Visually well-located milestones can act as guides for children to know the distances between various spaces from different points located within the school premises. It can be given along pathways, corridors, and junctions and help children to plan the shortest route to the destination. The signage can also be depicted on the structure of the building or elements like columns, dustbins, seats etc.
Labelling of Blocks
Labelling of different spaces, buildings, and blocks, indoors and outdoors can be done within the school. It is an effective way of helping children locate and relate themselves to their environment.
Conclusion
A school is almost like a second home for many young people, it is a building that sees generations of people coming and going. Hence, the design process must be the most ideal for the users and site. Proper optimization of natural features such as wind, daylight and more must be done to the fullest.
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