This research project takes a close look at Icelandic school buildings at the primary and lower secondary level (ages 6 to 15). The aim of the project is to identify features of change in school buildings, reflecting new challenges over the last few decades involving architecture, educational ideology, school policy and digital technology.  

The overall structure of school buildings in industrial countries has remained remarkably unaffected by changing times over the last century and elements characterizing most school buildings can be traced even further back (Dudek, 2000).  Architects and educationalists have introduced and promoted convincing ideas about new kinds of learning environments based on new knowledge about learning, yet traditional features of school buildings, such as classrooms of standard sizes along a corridor are still the common norm, an arrangement sometimes referred to as cells and bells model (Nair and Fielding, 2005). However, many signs are for shift in this form of school buildings that goes hand in hand with new knowledge about school development and learning process (Lippman, 2010; Törnquist, 2005).

Seven emerging themes for the 21^st century learning environments were defined by the OECD Programme on Educational Building and Department for Education and Skills (OECD/PEB and DfES, 2006). They were put forward by several leading architects and educationalists as follows; the challenge of designing schools in a changing world; the impact of new technology; increasing access to education through school design; designing sustainable, comfortable school buildings; involving all stakeholders in the design process; educational facilities as a learning tool; and assuring design quality.

Results from a large international research project on schools for the future, lead by Robert Walden (2009) confirm many of those themes. They especially underline stakeholders’ participation in design process, more open layout of school buildings and buildings that enhance communication and student wellbeing which will improve academic achievement.

Currenty there are very few studies of how school architecture affect educational practice  (Gislason, 2010) There are though several research results suggest that the physical learning environment could affect child development and academic achievement in a number of ways (Roberts, 2009; Uline, Tschannen-Moran & Wolsey, 2008; Tanner, 2008¸ Higgins et.al, 2005). Most of these results, however, are somewhat limited and controversial. Relatively strong evidence supports the relationship between student learning and conditions, such as the quality of air, temperature or noise, while other evidence (i.e. relating learning with colours and lightening) are less profound. A relationship between personalized environments in classrooms and the self-esteem of first graders has been established (Maxwell & Chmielewski, 2008).

Research question is: What features characterises new school buildings in Iceland with regard to the classroom layout, facilities for art and craft, design process and information technology? 

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