Re-thinking biophilic design for primary schools: exploring children’s preferences

Schools can play a vital role in supporting children’s health and well-being, considering the time they spend in these environments. There is an increasing recognition of the role of nature in school design as many studies acknowledge that children have a critical need to be connected to nature. Therefore, the application of biophilia can be a design resolution appropriate for schools because of its impact on children’s health and well-being; however, it remains relatively unexplored in school design around the world, including in the UK. Biophilic design patterns can be used in school buildings and grounds for greater connectivity between spaces and nature. This study focuses on biophilic design patterns related to direct and indirect experience of nature in the school environment. This paper discusses the findings of an empirical study with 88 children in a primary school and the application of biophilic design features and patterns related to happiness for primary school design. Finally, this paper suggests that the evaluation of biophilic design patterns in schools could be a co-design process with children and young people, essential for creating a healthy and happy school environment.