Evaluation of open-air educational spaces with emphasis on physical, environmental and human factors Case study: Elementary schools in District 9 of Tehran

Subject Areas :

Mohsen Kameli ^{1 *}

1 - Department of Architecture, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran

Received: 2025-02-04 Accepted : 2025-08-29 Published : 2025-09-16

Keywords: Educational space, landscape, body, human dimension, environmental factors,

Abstract :

Educational spaces are one of the important and influential components on the behavior and personality of individuals, but the majority of the educational environment is made up of closed spaces. According to the evaluation of educational environments, all attention is focused on internal spaces, and what has been neglected are open spaces, including courtyards or gardens, which are intended to help achieve the goals of these spaces. Whereas open spaces in educational places are urban squares for children and have the potential to be seen as a place to experience freedom of movement and play, creativity, discovery, and social values. This research seeks to improve the knowledge of designing open spaces for educational sites and to strengthen these spaces in learning and training users. The descriptive-analytical research method is based on a survey and observation, interview, and questionnaire techniques were used to collect information. The study area is the elementary schools of District 9 of Tehran province. The findings of this research show that from the students' perspective, environmental factors, more than two human and physical factors, have an impact on the desirability of open spaces in achieving a successful landscape design. Therefore, in order to establish a proper connection with its context, each design must be in harmony with the limitations and possibilities that environmental characteristics provide. With such an approach, the design of the environment and landscape arises from its context and its inherent characteristics and is in harmony with it. Also, from the perspective of the users of these spaces, human factors are more influential than physical factors on the desirability of open spaces, and the need to pay attention to a system of children's development characteristics can be effective in improving the quality and enlivening of schoolyards in line with various educational and training goals.

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