Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Can Classroom Design Impact Learning?

  • By Lisa Schmidt
  • 07/01/17

It seems logical that the spaces in which students learn can have a strong influence on their scholastic performance. However, until recently the evidence was fragmented. Thanks in part to a research paper published in Building and Environment, the impact that the design of a learning space has on pupils is now better understood. In the journal (a periodical that publishes research papers related to human interaction with the built environment), the authors report that classroom design can have as much as a 25 percent impact on a student’s progress over a school year. The research found that the difference between the best- and the worst-designed classrooms could result in a full year’s worth of academic progress.

The study was conducted in 34 classrooms with over 750 student participants. Many environmental factors were studied. Beyond the expected impacts related to acoustics and air temperature/quality, some of the more intriguing elements included: color within the room, complexity (appropriate level of stimulation without being cluttered), flexibility (ability to support varied learning activities), natural and electrical light quality, and how characteristics of the room allowed students a sense of ownership.

While there is no perfect classroom design, the study suggests that we must think holistically when planning learning spaces. Consider designing classrooms which include furniture that is mobile and can easily be reconfigured. Choosing chairs that enable students to interact with each other and with the instructor can improve the opportunity for connections and building social skills. Providing a variety of furniture types can support personal choice and ownership.

In summary, designs which support the institution’s teaching methods, as well as pupils’ comfort, will result in environments that set a student up for success.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Lisa Schmidt, LEED-AP is the director of Strategic Initiatives at National Office Furniture. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • AAADM Announces Building Safety Month Initiatives

    The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) recently announced its support of Building Safety Month as declared by the International Code Council (ICC), according to a news release.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.