High School Educators - Resources
How to help?
Ideas on how to educate that design matters:
Explore the Influence of Design on Well-being: Engage students in discussions and activities that illustrate how the design of buildings and spaces affects our mental and physical health. Highlight the benefits of natural light, clean air, and access to green spaces.
Analyze Spaces Through Daily Experiences: Encourage students to observe and reflect on how different environments influence their mood, productivity, and comfort, fostering an understanding of the user-centered design approach.
Sustainability in Everyday Life: Guide students to recognize the importance of sustainable design in reducing environmental impact and enhancing community resilience. Discuss practical examples like energy-efficient buildings and rain gardens.
Civic Engagement Through Design: Involve students in projects or discussions about how design can address community needs and challenges, emphasizing inclusivity and engagement with diverse groups.
Understanding Design and Mental Health: Facilitate discussions on how aspects of design, such as space layout and color choices, can impact mental health and stress levels, encouraging students to think about supportive environments.
Design for All: Teach about the principles of universal design and accessibility, emphasizing the importance of creating spaces that are navigable and enjoyable for people of all ages and abilities.
Research in Design Decisions: Introduce students to case studies and research findings that demonstrate the health impacts of architectural and design choices, fostering a data-driven approach to design.
Collaborative Design Projects: Organize group projects that require students to collaborate across disciplines, simulating the real-world process of creating designs that are both functional and beneficial to health and well-being.
Ethical Considerations in Design: Discuss the ethical responsibilities of designers in creating spaces, focusing on how design choices can contribute to or detract from societal well-being.
Critique and Redesign: Challenge students to critique the design of local buildings or public spaces, considering their impact on community health and happiness, and propose thoughtful redesigns that could enhance quality of life.
High school educators hold a pivotal role in nurturing an early awareness among students about the significant influence buildings and the built environment have on our feelings, health, and overall human experience. By integrating discussions and projects focused on the built environment into their curriculum, educators can enlighten students about how architecture and urban design not only shape our physical surroundings but also affect our emotional and psychological well-being. Such an educational approach aims to cultivate a keen awareness of the spaces we inhabit and how they make us feel, encouraging students to critically think about the relationship between the environment and human experience.
Educators should emphasize that buildings and spaces are more than mere structures; they are settings that profoundly impact our daily lives. From affecting our mood and health to influencing our learning and social interactions, the design of our environments plays a crucial role in our overall quality of life. Therefore, it's vital for high school educators to engage students in observing and reflecting on how different environments make them feel and the potential of thoughtful design to improve our lives. This involves challenging students to think beyond basic functionality and aesthetics of buildings, encouraging them to envision spaces that support well-being, promote inclusivity, and facilitate community engagement. Furthermore, by fostering a sense of curiosity and responsibility towards the built environment, educators can inspire students to become active citizens and advocate for their rights to healthful, engaging and joyful spaces.
Key Resources
1. Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) ANFA promotes and advances knowledge linking neuroscience research to a growing understanding of human responses to the built environment. Their website offers resources, publications, and information on upcoming events related to neuroscience and architecture.
2. Centre for NeuroArchitecture and NeuroDesign This center integrates architecture and design with neuroscience and novel technology to reimagine the spaces we inhabit. They focus on foundational research, industry-engaged innovation, and education in neuroarchitecture and neurodesign. Their website provides access to their projects, publications, and educational resources.
3. UCL and RISE Collaboration on NeuroArchitecture and NeuroDesign University College London (UCL) and the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) have launched a collaboration to explore how the human brain interacts with built environments. Their goal is to design sustainable and inclusive surroundings that enhance health and well-being. More information about their initiatives and research can be found on UCL's website.
4. NeuroDesign Research at Stanford University Stanford's NeuroDesign Research program operates at the intersection of psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, anthropology, and design. Their website offers insights into how these fields converge to inform architectural practice, including access to their research findings and publications.
5. Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics - University of Pennsylvania This center aims to understand the neural systems that underlie aesthetic experiences and choices, including investigations into the nature and neural basis of beauty, art, design, and architecture. Their website provides access to their research, publications, and information on upcoming events.
https://neuroaesthetics.med.upenn.edu/
6. Clemson University's Architecture + Health Program Clemson offers a Master of Architecture in Architecture + Health, a program that examines architecture-health relationships for settings and conditions ranging from entire communities to specific projects and individual spaces. Details about the program, including curriculum and application information, are available on their website.
https://www.clemson.edu/caac/academics/architecture/programs/architecture/architecture-health.html
7. NeuroArchitecture Online Course by NeuroAU NeuroAU provides an online course offering participants exposure to the theory and applications of neuroscience to architecture and design. The course covers subjects like emotion, memory, decision-making, perception, and their relation to elements of architecture and design. Enrollment details and course content are available on their website.
8. The Center for Health Design This organization offers a comprehensive collection of healthcare design research, best practices, resources, and tools aimed at creating environments that are efficient, safe, and conducive to healing. Their website provides access to a variety of publications and resources related to health-focused architectural design.