Biophilic design interventions can enhance learning and improve teacher retention, student attendance and behaviorEvidence suggests that biophilic design in schools may reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and support mental and social health. This paper presents findings from two case studies that examined how biophilic design interventions in schools could enhance academic and other outcomes. The first study investigated a middle school classroom with biophilic elements at an inner-city public charter school in Baltimore, Maryland. The second study examined school-wide biophilic design at a newly constructed elementary school in South Carolina.
The first study, located at the Green Street Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, examined the impact of low-cost biophilic elements inside a classroom on stress and learning outcomes. A sixth-grade math classroom was renovated to include features (carpet tiles, window shades, wallpaper and waveform ceiling tiles) that conveyed biomorphic forms or complex fractal patterns found in nature. For comparison, a seventh-grade math classroom that did not have biophilic elements was selected as a control group. Students in both classes participated in biometric testing to assess stress levels. Measurements of heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of the ability to recover from stress, were taken at the beginning and end of class, three times per week, using a finger-clip monitor for four months. Findings demonstrate that students in the biophilic classroom exhibited better stress recovery than students in the control classroom. The study also monitored academic performance over the course of the school year. Compared to students from the previous year who were in the same classroom (without biophilic elements) and had the same teacher and curriculum, students in the biophilic classroom showed improved test scores. In fact, average test score gains over the course of the school year were more than three times higher after the introduction of biophilic design.
Insights gained from the first study were applied to the design of Bethel-Hanberry Elementary School in South Carolina. The school’s biophilic design elements included daylit spaces, opportunities for prospect (views) and refuge (shelter or hiding places), biomorphic forms, and panoramic views of nature aiming to produce awe. One year after the school’s opening a team of researchers assessed the impact of the biophilic design elements using surveys, interviews and school metric data to investigate student behavior and performance. Survey data revealed that biophilic design strategies were perceived to make a positive contribution to the learning environment by an overwhelming majority of parents (95%), students (82%), teachers (93%) and administrators (100%). Chronic absenteeism decreased from 17.3% during the last year in the old school to 12.3% in the new school. Disciplinary problems also decreased between school years. The school demonstrated gains in teacher retention, which increased from 83.7% to 91.5%. Further, the school reported improved academic performance, with math test scores exceeding projected growth in every grade. Language arts/reading scores also exceeded projected growth in grades 2–4 and met projected growth for grade 5.
Both studies revealed improved academic outcomes and additional benefits, including better stress recovery, increased teacher retention, reduced absenteeism, and improved student behavior, in settings employing biophilic design. Results suggest biophilic classrooms and schools support student’s capacity to learn while also enhancing social-emotional wellness. The authors conclude that “biophilic design can be leveraged as a philosophy of education and design that helps both support improved academic performance and a greater connectedness between buildings and nature.” Future research might use gaze attention tracking to examine the effectiveness of specific biophilic interventions.
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