Trauma-Informed Design is Changing the Education Space
Date Posted: April 12, 2022
Posted In: Discussion, Ideas,
From ConstructionDive: “I have to walk down a gauntlet in front of everybody else. They know I’m going to my counselor, and it prevents me from wanting to go.”
A struggling high school student describes to Victoria Bergsagel what it feels like as they walk the hallway lined with lockers and harsh fluorescent lighting.
The former educator turned founder and director of Architects of Achievement has heard more of these stories than she can count. That’s why she and her team specialize in creating educational spaces that meet the diverse needs of all students — but especially those who’ve experienced trauma.
And the volume of young people who have gone through a traumatic event in childhood is agonizing.
A 2020 study by BMC Public Health found that a staggering 57.8% of American adults experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), with 21.5% experiencing three or more. ACEs aren’t minor challenges either. They include physical, emotional or sexual abuse, domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse or incarceration affecting someone in their household, as well as parents separating or divorcing.
Bergsagel calls traditional school design a “cells and bell model” — yes, she’s referring to prison cells — where the effects of trauma can turn long hallways into terrifying highways with no “off-ramp” and drive students into bathroom stalls as their only refuge.
This is where trauma-informed design comes in.
With trauma-informed design, architects and interior designers integrate the principles of trauma-informed care into the design of a space. The goal is to create space that is welcoming, safe, and promotes both healing and well-being.
The innovative design approach reshapes learning environments, helping students regulate emotional triggers as they arise, which then improves their learning experience and outcomes as well.
Of course, effective educational practices and caring teachers are key to assisting students with trauma-induced anxiety, stress and behavioral challenges. But space has an integral part to play too, Bergsagel says.
One of the biggest problems with standard approaches to educational design (for both K-12 and university and college settings), is students are not given the option to address their emotions in the way that best suits them. For instance they may need to retreat to a safe space or move to a different environment in order to participate, she explains.
“If we give them choice, then they have more agency.” And that’s the opportunity they need to focus on learning and excel.