School of Gruyere in Riaz (Switzerland)

Motivation of choosing the project: Despite the challenges presented by a tough financial climate, we must not forget the importance of having good quality places for young people to learn and for teachers to teach. Badly designed spaces are not overlooked and encourage bullying. Well-designed buildings provide facilities that are fit for purpose, accessible to all and built to last. They lift the spirits and aspirations of everyone who uses them. Pupils deserve good design: Our immediate environment influences our mood and behavior. pupils in poorly designed schools ‘felt that they were a reflection of their school: undervalued, worthless, dirty and uncared for’. Many pieces of educational research show the link between low self-esteem and underachievement. Teachers are motivated by working conditions: Schools are places of work as well as places of learning and new schools must be able to recruit and retain high quality staff. Research from Price water house Cooper’s shows that investment in buildings and spaces was one of the two most important factors in teacher motivation. For example, teachers have improved morale when working in a physical environment that functions well. A poor environment affects everyone: There are negative consequences of working in a poorly designed school. Illnesses, including stress and voice problems, are exacerbated by poor acoustics, ventilation and heating. In this project I proved that pupil concentration, energy levels and mood are influenced by basic environmental factors such as natural light, noise, air quality and temperature. These factors can all be improved without large capital expenditure.