Education buildings are the places where the minds of the next generation are molded in order to take the mantle and lead the community into the future. As a consequence, these buildings are very important and their design is something worth considering. The trends in this sector have been somewhat interesting. They remained pretty much the same for centuries before undergoing a drastic change in the beginning of this century. The beauty of the sector is that the trends are much easier to spot and explain because they have a certain longevity that is rare in other sectors.

What Popular Trends do Education Buildings Follow?

Design Trends

One of the most obvious trends coming up is the use of more flexible and adaptive spaces. These are there to encourage collaboration among students and create a more informal learning experience where students and faculty alike do not feel stifled. It certainly works, because the process of learning has taken on a more informal character in recent times.
On the flip side, some students and faculty members may still prefer some solitude. In order to cater for these people, some education buildings include little break out spaces with mini-pods and high backed benches or chairs. It certainly gives a sense of privacy without destroying the open spaces concept.

Schools are also going for much bolder designs in their exterior design in order to catch the eyes of prospective students and faculty members. School buildings are no longer the conservative looking buildings full of nothing but rectangular forms and straight lines. No more bland quadrangles with a somber mood. Schools are going for unique shapes and colors in exterior design that try to capture the true spirit of the school and attract more students and faculty members to the school.

Material Trends

One of the most obvious material trends is the choice of flooring. When it comes to design of open and flexible spaces, walls aren’t really an option for indicating what function a space is meant to serve. So designers are getting more creative and using flooring to better delineate different purposes. In this case, a simple but subtle change in the color and texture of the flooring will indicate to the students a change of purpose without being too obvious and obtrusive.

Flooring can also be used to help capture the spirit of a space. Adding aquatic elements in the floor design of a space dedicated to marine studies certainly adds to its personality. Brown colored tiles will add to the mood of a nature conservation center and brightly colored tiles will add to the energy of collaborative spaces.

Schools are heavily invested in technology and green building design. These institutions are usually the first place people will ever come face to face with the concept of environment conservation. It therefore only makes sense for them to practice what they preach. When it comes to materials, recycled concrete and energy efficient windows are the norm. Ventilation and natural lighting is also emphasized upon in order to reduce expenditure on energy. Schools are known to incorporate plenty of renewable energy, such as solar power, to drive the cost of energy even further down.