Physical Spaces and Cognition

A number of international projects are currently underway to support the development of physical spaces in which learning occurs. The working assumption of these projects is that student performance and satisfaction is improved by access to learning spaces where learning and discussions mix alongside work and play, and access to natural light and green spaces is optimized.

To date, however, there has been no systematic assessment on how the needs and preferences of students can be best matched with the design and furnishing of learning spaces across the campus. Whether in Switzerland, the USA, or Singapore,it is evident that learning is not confined to universities, it is also happening in Starbucks and McDonalds, to name a few.. This suggests that students appropriate spaces for various purposes, including learning, and that there is a need for mixed-use spaces.

This interdisciplinary project will develop a research framework to evaluate and validate the interaction of learners and physical spaces across various settings.