Biophilic Buildings in Eco Classrooms
For those not familiar with biophilia, it’s a ‘love for humanity and nature, and independence and freedom’, which we think are pretty good values to pass onto kids in the classroom.
With that idea in mind, what better way to teach children about the environment and the natural world than to create a learning space that is literally made using natural materials and textures.
Biophilic buildings are growing in popularity and we can see why – they’re different, fun and can inspire children.
Our eco classrooms for schools incorporate the same principles, here’s why:
Close to Nature
Installing an eco classroom in a natural environment, close to plants, trees and biodiversity is one of the key ways to maximize the impact of a biophilic building. Positioning a classroom in a great location is one of the best ways to get the most out an eco classroom because the surroundings constantly inspire pupils. The features and materials can fit seamlessly into the environment and almost become part of the biodiversity.
At its core, an eco classroom is a fantastic resource for teaching. You can use it to complement your curriculum and come up with new and creative ways to teach and educate pupils. Being able to gesture to the natural world and explain concepts using a biophilic building only strengthens pupils’ experiences at school.
Natural Light
Once your eco classroom is in good surroundings, you can benefit from a seamless link between classroom and nature. To do this, our eco classrooms and biophilic buildings are created with as much natural light as possible. Light is incredibly beneficial for pupils and has lots of health advantages – extra vitamin D, helps concentration and boosts mood.
Being able to view the natural environment can help with imagination and it also helps to tackle stress, which pupils can experience when learning.
Stress-free Teaching
Eco-classrooms are also good for teachers, who let’s face it, are the most important person in the classroom. If they’re not at peak performance, then it’s difficult to keep control of the classroom and teach efficiently. Less stressed teachers means better learning conditions for pupils.
Teaching in an environment that’s different to a stale, conventional classroom and can give professionals a new lease of life and give them more motivation. Taking people out of their normal environment creates memory association with certain subjects and gives teachers a great break from the status quo.
Healthy and Happy
Keeping pupils engaged and motivated in the classroom is difficult if they’re not inspired by their surroundings. Biophilic buildings help to boost happiness by providing a fun, natural space – in turn, better mood contributes to better health and wellbeing.
A teaching space that’s a bit different can be a really important space for children that have challenges at school and find it difficult to learn in a conventional school environment – biophilic buildings can encourage new ways of learning. Better mental wellbeing and less stressful environments should be available for all children and abilities and we think this is a really beneficial solution.
For more info about eco classrooms and biophilic buildings, contact our team at Bridge Timber today.
