Page 39 - Petelin, Ana, et al. Eds. 2019. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of Children and Adolescents. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 39
nsdisciplinary approach to healthy school environment plenarna predavanja | plenary lectures
and furniture design
Danijela Domljan
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Furniture and Wood
Products, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Design of school environment and school furniture represents a transdiscipli-
nary insufficiently researched problem. Responsible design observes children
and adolescents as a specific and sensitive user group, mostly because during
the school period children pass through intense psychophysical, cognitive, so-
cial and emotional growth and development. Research by the Design Coun-
cil has confirmed that little is known about how school environment and fur-
niture design affect the attitudes, behavior and well-being of children, enhance
their willingness to learn, increase creativity and desire to preserve the school
environment. Numerous studies around the world confirm the mismatch be-
tween furniture and children in schools, child dissatisfaction and complaints
about musculoskeletal disorders, back pain (MSD/BP) and headaches. Today's
school environment design is mostly discouraging and outdated, dysfunction-
al, does not follow secular trends in physical growth or encourage a sense of
well-being at school. The current design of school environment and furniture
needs to be redesigned urgently. In this process has to be involved inter- and
transdisciplinary oriented experts in the fields of health, school medicine and
occupational therapy, ergonomics, anthropometry, pedagogy, design and ar-
chitecture, public procurement and production, and above all - children-ori-
ented design, design thinking, innovative approach and practice in school envi-
ronment design the most important requirements. The main goal is to achieve
children's health and well-being in schools.
Keywords: school environment, furniture design, children, health, well-being
37
and furniture design
Danijela Domljan
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Furniture and Wood
Products, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Design of school environment and school furniture represents a transdiscipli-
nary insufficiently researched problem. Responsible design observes children
and adolescents as a specific and sensitive user group, mostly because during
the school period children pass through intense psychophysical, cognitive, so-
cial and emotional growth and development. Research by the Design Coun-
cil has confirmed that little is known about how school environment and fur-
niture design affect the attitudes, behavior and well-being of children, enhance
their willingness to learn, increase creativity and desire to preserve the school
environment. Numerous studies around the world confirm the mismatch be-
tween furniture and children in schools, child dissatisfaction and complaints
about musculoskeletal disorders, back pain (MSD/BP) and headaches. Today's
school environment design is mostly discouraging and outdated, dysfunction-
al, does not follow secular trends in physical growth or encourage a sense of
well-being at school. The current design of school environment and furniture
needs to be redesigned urgently. In this process has to be involved inter- and
transdisciplinary oriented experts in the fields of health, school medicine and
occupational therapy, ergonomics, anthropometry, pedagogy, design and ar-
chitecture, public procurement and production, and above all - children-ori-
ented design, design thinking, innovative approach and practice in school envi-
ronment design the most important requirements. The main goal is to achieve
children's health and well-being in schools.
Keywords: school environment, furniture design, children, health, well-being
37
