Today’s schools require a flexible inclusive design, that allow students and staff to live and learn in an environment that is best suited to their specific needs.
Starting a new school is both daunting and stressful for children and adults alike, meeting new people, the apprehension of the forthcoming workload and navigating a new building, can all affect someone’s confidence. The later point can be avoided through careful and considerate design which creates spaces that helps individuals flourish, regardless of their ability, or neurotype. Accessibility and wayfinding can ease traffic flow through large buildings. Colour contrast is vital to help people with visual impairment identify changes in floor levels. Wall and floor-craft signage, warning tiles or tactile strips should all be used appropriately around the building.
Tarkett's multi-material solutions have been carefully thought out to support in designing inclusive schools, with a variety of materials, features, and colours suited to particular usages and requirements. This offer extends across multiple material classes, from vinyl and linoleum to carpet, LVT and more specific solutions like wall and wet room solutions. Incorporating a variety of easily combined colours and textures, Tarkett’s floor and wall collections will help you create ergonomic, inclusive, and learning-friendly ambiances.
Shaz Hawkins, Tarkett’s Education Marketing Manager for the UK & Ireland says “buildings that are easily accessible and welcoming improve the quality of life for both students and staff. Dutch architect Hermen Hertzberger said the goal should always be to create spaces that provide the best possible learning environment, where a child can feel safe, emotionally connected and intellectually stimulated. To achieve this there is a responsibility on all manufacturers, specifiers, designers and teachers to work together to ensure that learning approaches and teaching practices are fit for educating both this generation and the next.”
Tarkett’s commitment:
Tarkett is dedicated to creating flooring and wall solutions that are not only safe for people's health and well-being, but also better for the planet.
We ensure that our flooring is made from carefully selected materials to protect children's health. Phthalates, for example, are a common contaminant in indoor environments, and research suggests that they can have a detrimental effect on human health. Selecting good materials is also essential to recycling products effectively post-use, ensuring your school is an active participant in the circular economy.
Utilising the Cradle to Cradle® approach, we ensure that we can recycle and reuse materials in future production, reducing waste and preserving natural resources. With this method, you can be confident in the health and environmental performance of your chosen floor and wall solutions.
Discover our multi-material approach for every space ->
https://professionals.tarkett.co.uk/en_GB/node/designing-schools-of-the-future-18278
