FLOOR DESIGN IN LEARNING SPACES: SHOULD THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS BE CHANGED AFTER THE PERIOD OF COVID-19

Enis JAKUPI, Getoar ABDURAMANI

Abstract

Each architectural space is defined by a certain surface or floor design presenting the final trespassing structure. Planning floor design and selection of materials directly depends on the functionality of the architectural space, with specific requirements to meet different standards such as protection against microbes, viruses, and bacteria. The COVID-19 pandemic forced accessibility, social gathering, lifestyle, and working environment to be changed to reduce the infection. As educational systems begin to resume operations amid, there is a complicated requirement on how learning will take place, to prevent any possibility of virus transmission in schools. This paper deals with the issue of the influence of selected floor covering materials and construction solutions in learning spaces, with a focus on how the existing school buildings can be adapted to meet the newly required safety measures, allowing students and teachers to feel safe and supported during the school day. Furthermore, the paper aims to address the following research questions: How much awareness was raised on this issue during and after the COVID-19 period? Do we need new laws, rulebooks, and standards for designing learning spaces for higher education? The COVID-19 pandemic has made the built environment an important source of prevention and control, architects and researchers have thus been seeking countermeasures since the beginning of the outbreak. Achieving sustainable floor covering design is very important to create optimal learning spaces while maintaining the recommended social and distancing guidelines.

Pages: 64 - 70