The comfort factors of a traditional classroom consist of having adequate lighting through natural light, heating and ventilation, as traditional classroom did not have the latest features of a modern day classroom as we see today.
The comfort requirements of a modern day classroom consist of having appropriate, Acoustic, Lighting and ventilation and having a more open and comfortable learning space.
Classrooms should be flexible to adapt to different learning modes and have adequate and comfortable seating arrangements
The air quality is also a vital point as fresh clean air should be ventlialted through out the class room to enhance studying.
Adequate Lighting within the classroom should also be available for when natural light is minimal.
Double glazing which is helps keep the warm air inside and pay a big part as the windows can also combine anti reflection so that glare is kept at minimal as possible.
Good heating and ventilation should be used so that there is normal temperature through out the class room.
Good Acoustics is a must as to prevent sound travelling from outside and inside the classroom.
Classroom Orientation
As today’s classroom and lecture rooms are made to seat a limited number of students but are always over stretched it is hard to see and hear the teacher giving the lesson.
To minimize this I will have the table and chairs facing the north so that the natural light can come through the west and south walls.
The classroom will also have a large interactive board which is much better then the traditional white boards as the teacher can use it to write on any where within the classroom.
Furniture
Fixed furniture should be avoided as this prevents the flexibility and adaptability of the classroom.
I will be using a compact desk design which much suited for a student with space for a laptop and writing and can be easily moved to connect to other tables for group exercise.
The chairs in the classroom I will be using will be Ergo human office chairs are designed for ultimate comfort and support with flex zones that ensure constant support of back and lumbar.
My personal experience from being quite tall I do get back pain from the normal plastic chairs which do not support the back fully for tall people.
These chairs will enhance students learning experience for students of all sizes.
Cantilever work desk.
Colour Scheme
Today’s classroom colour schemes are very boring and pale but research has shown colours in a classroom can affect how students behave and perform.
Students may respond better to colours such as blue or green that are less distracting or stress-inducing that’s why I have gone for rich blue matt finish paint on the walls for a much improved and focused learning experience.
Windows and Window coverings
Double glazed windows provide a great number of benefits. The trapped layer of air between the two panes acts as an insulator that prevents warmth from escaping.
Modern double glazing windows insulate sound, making buildings quieter and more peaceful which is essential for learning environments.
In addition to this double glazing will reduce heat loss and improve draught loss thus saving on energy bills.
I will be also using an efficient external solar shading system but with the design flexibility to enable co-ordination with the building’s external features through the use of glass which will be motorised that reacts with the sun movement to control solar gain, glare and light throughout the day.
Accustics
Good accustis is nessary to keep a sound out of the classroom and also penetrate sound within the clasroom so all the students can clearly hear the lecture.
For the this i will be adding a soundblocker acoustic ceiling slabs which are easilty installed inside the suspened ceiling im my propesed plan
Sound blocker is the most comprehensive system available for reducing the breakout of sound through suspended ceilings
Sound blockers will also reduce vertical sound transmission between floors, and from services within the ceiling void.
For the walls I will be using a JCW silent board acoustic wall system which upgrades the existing walls to dramatically reduce sound transmission the product meets Part E of the building regulations and once installed any decorative finish can be applied to it.
Lighting
Natural light should be the main source of lighting during the day as it is a natural source having the automated glass fins out side the windows will bring the natural light in with out glare.
Students will also not be affected by the harmful rays of the sun as the double glazed windows will have a layer (Solar Control window Film) which will provide a barrier from harmful rays.
In a recent article Dr Mark Winter bottom , a researcher from the University of Cambridge, spoke at a conference – held at the University of London’s Institute of Education – that “misguided policy decisions” over the kind of lighting used in classrooms were hampering the drive to improve standards.
Dr Winter bottom will argued that the main offender is the kind of fluorescent lighting installed in more than 80 per cent of classrooms (100Hz lights with 100 vibrations per second are most commonly used). These, his research indicates, create an imperceptible flicker that can cause visual discomfort and make it more difficult to read properly.
Dr Winter bottom also argue that the whiteboards, which are usually mounted on a wall at the front of the class, help direct light in the classroom into pupils’ eyes. “Wherever possible, such boards should be tilted so that such reflected glare is directed towards the ceiling,”
