Eco-friendly education: why more and more schools are being built from wood
We tell a lot about why wood is the best building material. The proof of its exceptional qualities is that it is from wood that schools and kindergartens are built today. In any country of the world the requirements for the construction of children's institutions are very high, and experts are sure that it is the time when the ripe apple falls and it's the right time to build from wood.
Fresh indoor air
Air quality has the top priority for children: polluted and dry indoor air causes respiratory infections, reduces the ability to concentrate and memorize information. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (USA), the incidence of asthma is currently very high: every 13th child has this disease, which means that during the complication period, children often miss school.
Wooden buildings form an ideal micro climate without the help of air conditioners and air purification systems:
- Wood has antibacterial properties, so it disinfects the air;
- Regulates humidity due to the ability to absorb and give off water;
- It is considered a hypoallergenic material, since smooth surfaces are easy to care for, and dust particles do not accumulate on the wood;
- Wooden buildings are cool in summer and warm in winter.
Taking care of the environment
Climate change in the 21st century is impossible to ignore – today thousands of specialists are studying this problem. One of the reasons that contributed to the climate chaos is the dominance of steel and concrete in cities. Wood is a completely ecological and also a renewable resource, so it is on it that the attention of architects and builders designing schools and kindergartens should be directed.
Fantastic environment
According to statistics, children from 7 to 14 years old spend 90% of their time indoors, and most of their waking hours are occupied by school! Therefore, the learning environment becomes extremely important: children at school should not only feel good physically, but also find psychological comfort that allows them to endure high mental loads.
For example, wood creates the right acoustics in classrooms and libraries, without interfering with the concentration on learning, and also reduces the heart rate. Research in the field of biophilic design has proved that the presence of a tree indoors significantly reduces the level of anxiety and stress in both children and adults.
Designers do not stay away and create magnificent wooden interiors in their simplicity and sophistication, as well as furniture for children. By the way, a lot of attention is paid to wood as a material in the Montessori methodology – special constructors have been created here for training.
What do the schools of the future look like
Two years ago, we talked about the Finnish school Pudasjärvi Log Campus, where architects and designers from all over the world come for a tour. Its total area is 9,800 m2, and 800 children study there.
By the end of 2021, another impressive project will be completed in Finland, in Tuusula - the Monio school. These are five three-storey buildings connected by passages. The architectural concept of the building is connected with the historical context – wooden buildings. In fact, Monio is something more than a secondary school: it is a space for meetings and work, learning music and art. 23 million euros have been allocated for the construction of the facility.
There are still few wooden schools in Denmark-the more interesting the Overlund School project for 750 places, which is being built in Viborg, looks. The three-storey building made of timber and glass looks very modern thanks to the stepped facades, flat roofs and a large atrium in the center. Interestingly, the project provides for the possibility of expanding to 1300 seats and one more gym.
The Gymnasium Nord for 2000 seats was built in Frankfurt (Germany). The campus, built from modules, includes a school building, a cafeteria and a gym. Three modules form a class with an area of 60 m2, and a total of 210 modules were used. The construction cost 26 million euros.
One of the main advantages of wooden construction is the speed of construction – so, one building takes only a few weeks.
Are these buildings durable? The oldest wooden school in the world is located in Florida, in the city of St. Augustine, and its construction dates back earlier than 1716. The house is built of cypress and red cedar. Of course, no one studies there now –nowadays the building is used as a museum, but you must agree that its age is very impressive!
When we think about what material to build our house from, it is worth referring to the world experience: if a tree is chosen for children's institutions, it means that it is really the best of the existing ones. And our LUMI POLAR team knows this for sure.