Architecture for the Imagination: A Study of an Elementary Educational Environment

This thesis seeks to create an environment that encourages the learning process by addressing issues of emotional and physical well-being. The concept implies that success in learning can be linked to the environment of an elementary school. The building does not have to teach by itself, but merely facilitate the learning process through the making of a comfortable environment. Designing an elementary school demands that the architect look at the world through the eyes of a child. If the architect considers the scale of the building, both in terms of size and perception, the school becomes an oasis of security for the child that inspires intellectual growth. By integrating environmental design issues that are traditionally ignored in contemporary schools, like natural ventilation or daylighting, the school becomes less of an institution and more like a home.