Resilient education facilities with special focus on classrooms to be compatible with the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent months, the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern about the spread of a new pandemic after the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a significant impact on education. UNICEF says Over 168 million children’s classrooms around the world have been shuttered. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to identify the criteria and requirements of resilient design for classrooms to avoid closures during crises. Researchers have addressed the relationship between spaces and the spread of viruses inside them, so the research assumes that there is a relationship between the design criteria of classrooms and the spread of viruses inside them. Hence, the research methodology consists of a qualitative approach then comparative analysis. The first part involves analyzing the literature review to identify a design matrix that includes design criteria for classrooms. The research has identified four resilient design criteria and their requirements for classrooms, such as 1- Epidemic Prevention, 2-Climate Change Adaptation, 3-Integration of Technological Advancements, and 4- Support Advanced Education. The research focused on primary school due to the high infection rates of the Omicron variant among children, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Therefore, the second part involves a comparative analysis of four classrooms in government primary schools using the design matrix. The case studies Two within Egypt and Two outside Egypt. Finally, the results include an evaluation of the four proposed resilient design criteria for the classrooms and which one is the most resilient and adaptable during the crisis.