How have the requirements for room design in schools changed?

Educational research shows that learning takes place co-constructively, in dialogue between the students themselves and the teacher. This is why most teachers no longer teach in a purely frontal manner, but instead engage in dialogue with their students. They teach skills that are important for the 21st century, such as flexibility, problem-solving and critical thinking, and are faced with the challenges of inclusion and digitalisation. This new way of teaching also requires new spatial concepts.

The development towards all-day schools is also fundamentally changing the requirements for childcare and school premises. Starting in 2026, German schools will have a legal entitlement to all-day care, meaning that schools will increasingly become the centre of children’s lives. The design and multifunctional use of school rooms is therefore of particular importance.

How have the school concepts and thus the room design changed?

 Many older school buildings are so-called corridor schools from the era of frontal teaching, with classrooms lined up along a corridor.

From the 1970s onwards, it was recognised that frontal teaching was not sufficient for learning. This gave rise to open-plan schools with different learning environments. This allowed children to spread out freely and spend time in the canteen, library or teachers’ rooms.

At the beginning of the 2000s, the learning centre principle was developed. In cluster schools, rooms are grouped in a circle around a common centre like an atrium. This enables more interaction and flexibility, both for pupils as well as for teachers and educators, who now work together in multi-professional teams.

What should be considered in the room design of a modern school?

 In order to realise living and learning in the all-day school that is common today, learning spaces that can be used variably are required. Spaces are needed for social interaction in which pupils can fulfil their exercise and leisure needs, as well as quiet zones that offer opportunities for retreat. A balanced and rhythmic school day should include phases of tension and learning as well as phases of relaxation. Equally important is the possibility of a fresh and communal lunch and a good technical infrastructure for independent digital learning.

This differentiation can also be made possible on a small scale in existing classrooms, e.g. with the churer model. Here, the classroom is rearranged so that the blackboard is no longer the central point of learning. Instead, there is input in a circle and pupils can choose their own workstation.