10 out of 10 for Scottish school design? : embedding the social model of disability in the school design process

• Main Author: Hyland, Claire A.
• Published: University of Strathclyde 2014
• Subjects: 720
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.632715

This thesis explores standards of accessible design in Scotland's new and refurbished schools with the aim of suggesting practical steps towards creating school environments which actively promote inclusion of people with impairments and provide positive learning environments for children with additional support needs. Existing research of new and refurbished Scottish school buildings is inconclusive with regards to accessible design and at the midpoint of the largest school building programme in the history of Scotland, it is crucial that accessible design processes and practices be evaluated in order to inform future building projects. The research explores the relationship between impairment, disability and the built environment and the impact that the disability movement and its associated social model of disability on contemporary architectural profession. This allows a vision for architecture to be proposed through a 'social model of disability' which is used as a basis for examining school design issues. The inclusive education discourse and current research examining standards of new school design in Scotland are used to determine the parameters for practical investigations, which use a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods and involve a wide variety of stakeholders. Results are used to establish the extent to which 'the social model of architecture' is embedded within the school design process and give practical recommendations as to how this can be better achieved, including a proposed overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work 2013. This study highlights the need for a paradigm shift in the architectural design ethos and contributes towards the creation of an inclusive, inspirational and sustainable learning environment for current and future generations.