FLEXIBILITY OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IN SCHOOLS

Abstract

Modern people are facing a number of inevitable challenges. One of these challenges is represented in being forced to live in buildings that fail to respond to future needs. Therefore, it has become one of the modern life essentials to have flexible buildings that can respond to their users’ changing needs. This is the pivot idea behind the flexible buildings, which should be able to cope with the future needs; to convert; and to interact. The principle of flexibility can be applied in all patterns of buildings. This study tackles the application of flexibility principle on basic education schools. Choosing schools to test the indicators of flexibility is based on the concept that schools are the place where education methodologies change with time and this change requires flexible schools to cope with. Accordingly, the research target has been set to come out with a list to define allocated flexibility terms for schools in the light of flexibility and its principles. The research adopted a study methodology based on applying a mechanism of setting surveys for teachers and questionnaires for students in KG, primary and preparatory stages. The first part of the research is the basis upon which the study is built, as it presents an overview about flexibility concept, in addition to displaying the problem, the importance, the main goals and methodology of the study. The second part introduces an overview about the concept of flexibility in general and the concept of flexibility in architecture in particular. This chapter comes out with the main indicators that attain flexibility at buildings in general. The third part tackles educational buildings through analyzing and evaluating its patterns and internal spaces. Finally, this chapter reviews the modern patterns of educational buildings and concludes with a list set by the researcher containing proposed indicators of flexibility at basic education schools. As for the applied part, it is divided into two parts: The first part presents analytical studies of three basic education schools. The analysis of these schools is done according to the proposed list of flexibility indicators. The second part of this chapter presents the results of the teachers and students surveys and questionnaires. Finally, this research ends with the study conclusions, the researcher’s comments on surveys and questionnaires results. The research comes out with a final list for flexibility indicators, namely: The layout of school buildings that includes 6 indicators, such as free and open space, large spaces, and ability to add and remove space. As for plans according to the proposed flexible design requirements that includes 5 main indicators, such as availability of changing activity of the place, and using mobile parts. After studying the standards of the Educational Building Authority, some indicators were reached that achieves flexibility according to the site and location that includes 5 main indicators, such as service center location, and possibility of future extension. Thus, the flexibility list of basic education schools is completed based on previous studies and the opinions of users.