The relationship between architecture and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Space as a reactive factor within the pedagogical model

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) promotes participatory pedagogical models. Its principal conditions are to promote student motivation and autonomy through the acquisition of critical thinking, based on values of sustainability. This means the introduction of changes in current teaching methods. Does it also mean the need for a different type of school architecture? Can an architectural space positively accompany the ESD? Therefore, the objectives that guide this paper are: to answer these questions and identify a potential design criteria for an architectural space accompanying the pedagogical model. METHOD. The study uses an inductive methodology that works with the poetic criticism of architecture (a specific analysis tool), which analyzes the interactions between systems that build a space. Thus, one can identify relationships of convergence and divergence between educational models and the spatial environment. Three international schools are taken as reference. These represent examples of educational models which include the values and criteria of ESD. These schools have been built during the 2005-2014 decade, a period that marks the objectives of UNESCO for the development of ESD. RESULTS. The paper shows that there is an interaction between the pedagogical model and educational space. Futhermore, as the main finding, twelve design criteria — ten specific and two general — are identified for the school environment to accompany ESD pedagogical models. DISCUSSION. On one hand, the results show affinity to theories in the emerging science of Neuroeducation. On the other hand, the study finds its limit in the achievement of its objectives; because the criteria identified are open criteria. These results point to the need to renew the existing national regulations for architectural public schools, so that the implementation of innovative pedagogical models are possible.