Modern

Classroom
Design
Leilah Miller
Nathaniel Near

PHASE 1:
Information Collection

Observations
Things we noticed about our current HSMSE classrooms:
PROS

CONS

-Presentation space in front of room

(smartboard/whiteboards)
-Lots of space
-Storage (cabinets and closets)
-Computers

-Inefficient use of space > so many cabinets yet things aren't

stored properly, the back is full of miscellaneous stuff
-Bulky, outdated computers; decreased desk space
-Lacks student organization; tables/desks split in an illogical and
unproductive way
-Insufficient lighting & bad natural lighting
-Smartboard is too far for students in the back to see
-Entire room is not aesthetically pleasing; looks crowded despite
abundance of space

General Information

How many students are in your classroom during the day? > about 34

What types of furniture is used now? Does it need to be movable? Why or why not > Unmovable large plastic desks

What is the artificial and natural light in the classroom like? > Barely any natural light; windows are covered; theres

only white artificial light

What materials are currently used on the floors, walls, and ceiling? > plastic floor tiles, hard material on walls and ceilings

What are the different types of classrooms in your school? Are there any that are better or worse than yours? > science

rooms, computer rooms, generic rooms

What types of other buildings surround your school? Homes, businesses, parks, parking lots, or an empty field? How will
these other buildings impact the design of your new classroom? > college buildings, athletic facilities/fields, residential

buildings, food stores/restaurants

What types of streets surround your school? Are they busy or quiet? > moderately active streets

Interviews
We interviewed some students and teachers about the classrooms of HSMSE. Here are some comments:

Its difficult to hear the person speaking from the back of the room and the computers block
the view of the smartboard computers take up a lot of table space - Nancy Chen
little space to walk disorganization of the aisles - Blanche Palasi
hard to see the board especially if you sit far away the computers are a distraction [the
room] COULD be organized to have lots of space I would like a big space to put workbooks
and calculators - Jenny Gerung
"I want a more comfortable setting... it'd be cool to have beanbag pods" - Ms. Boylan
"Sorry it's so hot in here guys" - Every Teacher Ever

Site Plan
Location:
140th and Convent Ave

Placement of room

B6 Pictures
Notice the lack of desk space,
difficulty to see, and little
walking room

PHASE 2:
Brainstorming

Classroom Subject
HUMANITIES
We want to redesign a humanities classroom: focused for subjects like English or
History. These types of classes dont require specialized equipment like lab counters or
materials, so we obviously wont cater to scientific classes such as Biology and
Chemistry.

What Do People Want?

What would make an ideal classroom?
- Desk space
- Storage for textbooks, equipment, other classroom materials
- An abundance of natural and artificial lighting
- Walking space
- Clear sight from student to spear / teacher; no obstacles such as pillars (common in HSMSE) or bulky computers
- Presentation area easily viewed by students from all parts of the room; people in the back don't struggle to see the board
- Aesthetically pleasing design; the room possesses a creative and enthusiastic mood

Survey
Heres the survey we used on a few people,
posted on leilahmillerarchitecuture.weebly.com.

We questioned about:
-Classroom Size
-Room Color
-Seating

Results

Classroom Ideas
Some other classrooms like
the examples above demonstrate
various concepts that we'd like to
implement into our own design.
They have comfortable seating, a
clear view of the board and
teacher, organization of students
that encourages interactive and
social learning,a colorful setting,
and technologically up to date.

PHASE 3:
Developing Solutions

What We Plan To Implement:

1. Large, space efficient table surface
2. Comfortable seating
3. Storage and bookshelves
4. Colorful room design
5. Excess of space
6. SMART Board
7. Walking room for teacher and students

Sketches

FINAL

Revit

Revit

Bright colors!
Purple & White

Bean bag chairs

Teachers area

Tables

Storage

Cited Sources
N.p., n.d. Web. <http://jacquelinecarlisle.weebly.com/classroom-design.html>.
"Top 10 Characteristics of a 21st Century Classroom." EdTechReview. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016. <http://edtechreview.in/news/862-top-10characteristics-of-a-21st-century-classroom>.
"Modern Classroom Design Fuels Collaboration at Newmark Schools." - K-12 Tech Decisions. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016. <http://www.k12techdecisions.com/article/the_ultimate_collaboration_experience_a_look_at_newmark_schools_new_classro>.
"Discover Design: A Student Design Experience." M Redesign Your Classroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016. <http://discoverdesign.
org/design/instructions/redesign-your-classroom>.
"Modern Classroom Archives - ConfigurableClassroom.com." ConfigurableClassroomcom. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016. <http://configurableclassroom.
com/tag/modern-classroom/>.
N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.ebuyer.com/blog/2015/01/the-classroom-of-the-future/>.