Architectural Challenges of Designing Front Entrance Area at City Schools

Abstract

The external area of the main entrance to the school building is extremely vital part of the whole architectural design, especially in challenging conditions of dense urban fabric of modern city. It should be the showcase of particular educational facility. There are specific functional requirements related to security, composition, aesthetic, etc. that need to be met. The entrance area is a keystone for external and internal space, therefore it requires a detailed study in early pre-design and schematic design phases of the project, before final decisions are made. Many of the particular site inconveniences emerge at the designing stage, but some appear after school opening, for this reason it is beneficial to observe and learn also from existing facilities. In many cases some of the fundamental needs are omitted by architects as a result of various reasons and preconditions. The study was based on author’s own research, and his experience in designing schools. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and analysis of selected elements of school architecture, and take an aim at addressing functional ergonomics with spatial needs of the school front entrance area.