Existing frameworks for biophilic design have similar strategies and attributes as useful checklists for designers; however, the focus has been on adults rather than children, and there remains the need for more guidance related to school design by extension. The application of biophilia would be a design resolution in schools because of its impact on children’s health and well-being, which has been more important since the pandemic started; however, it remains quite unexplored in school design in many countries, including the UK. Biophilic design patterns can be used in school buildings and grounds for greater connectivity between spaces and nature in order to promote children’s well-being. This paper focuses on ten biophilic design patterns under two categories of ‘nature in the space’ and ‘natural analogues.’ This study presents the findings of case studies in various countries. The analysis focuses on the manifestations of biophilia to inform the application of biophilic design patterns for primary schools. Finally, this paper suggests how primary school children could be involved in a co-design process in order to evaluate biophilic design patterns.

Purpose: The school environment affects children's health, emotions and learning. The good design of school buildings makes these places more pleasant and more functional. Children's views are important and need to be more effectively integrated in the school design project, especially after the pandemic as many schools had to re-design their spaces. However, there are challenges for academics, designers and policymakers in determining which methods are appropriate for listening to children's views and ensuring their effective participation. The study aims to evaluate the different ways in which children could get involved in designing schools, and to identify spatial design trends from the perspective of the children. Design/methodology/approach: For this study, qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. Various data collection techniques were drawings, model making and questionnaires. The empirical study was undertaken by 120 children (8–10 years old), who designed three spaces in two Primary Schools in England. Findings: This paper discusses the change in use of spaces for current and future (post-COVID) school design and the need for multi-purpose spaces that can flip form one to another. The findings highlight the importance of involving children in the school design process that could then inform the decision-making processes of architects and designers. The findings would have implications for school design practice, demonstrating how research can be embedded in primary schools to evaluate the quality of indoor and outdoor spaces. Research limitations/implications: More research focusing on diverse spaces, various age groups and in different primary schools would provide reliable and age-appropriate guideline for future school design. It is recommended to gather children's and teachers' views related to the changes that primary schools in the UK have applied in response to the pandemic since June 2020 to assess the impact of social distancing in various indoor and outdoor spaces. Originality/value: The study is a response to effective involvement of children in school design process as the main user. By identifying appropriate methods to gather children's views, the gap between academics, designers and policymakers can be bridged, especially for innovative post-COVID design of primary schools with radical changes. The study also highlights children's views for design of outdoor and indoor multi-functional spaces and suggests some post-pandemic design considerations to respond to children's preferences as well as their health and well-being.

Purpose: Children have a right to shape the spaces they inhabit, yet remain systematically excluded from the decisions that determine them. This study presents the collaboration between 79 children (aged 8–11) from ICS Rita Borsellino in Palermo and 26 architecture students from the University of Portsmouth in the co-creation of an extended play area adjacent to the school entrance, documenting the design-build process and investigating how and what participants learnt. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods approach integrated qualitative and quantitative techniques to analyse the Via Libera! workshop, which brought together students and schoolchildren to collaboratively design and build playful urban furniture for the pedestrianised area in front of the school. Research was conducted in three phases: pre-workshop design and data collection, participatory construction workshop and post-workshop evaluation and data analysis, including questionnaires with children and semi-structured interviews with architecture students. Findings: Four interconnected outcomes emerged: children reframed the street as a playable common anchored in safety; high enjoyment coexisted with fragile confidence; learning was situated in collective making, with intercultural exchange as its most valued dimension and architecture students shifted from autonomous designers to mediators. Together, these suggest participatory design-build processes can simultaneously generate spatial transformation and mutual learning among those who collaborate. Research limitations/implications: The study involves a single school in a specific socio-cultural context and captures only immediate post-workshop effects; longer-term changes in spatial perception remain unknown. Further research should extend to additional settings, age groups, and national contexts, with longitudinal follow-up, regulatory analysis and explicit attention to the transnational dimension. Practical implications: The study guides architects and urban practitioners in co-creation of school-adjacent public space, showing that short-term, low-cost interventions can reshape children's perception and use of streets when safety and inclusion are prioritised over aesthetics. Architectural pedagogy should systematically embed participatory design-build, preparing students for roles of facilitator and mediator rather than author. Originality/value: This study is distinctive in its transnational design-build structure, enabling children to be active co-producers rather than consultees, and producing a tangible spatial transformation with demonstrable perceptual effects.