School Lab Layouts & How They Influence Learning

Science labs, too, have remained the same with no major changes in the layout. Nevertheless, research-based evidence points in the other direction. Studies show that progressive laboratory layouts can lead to greater student engagement in science as well as other subjects. Science lab furniture manufacturers are also of the same opinion. At Inspace School Furniture, Tamil Nadu, we offer a wide variety of school science furniture to choose from. We design everything to suit your requirements and budget, from lab stools to aesthetic-looking worktop tables. All our lab furniture is water and chemical-resistant, durable, and easily moveable.
So, how does a lab layout influence student engagement and learning? That’s the topic our article intends to discuss.
Let’s unpack the details.
Designing A Lab Layout: A Science Lab Furniture Manufacturer's Tips
- Colour palette
- Ventilation systems
- Plumbing systems
- Flooring
- Overall space
- Water purification systems
- Eyewash stations
- Fire extinguishers
- Fume chamber
- Refrigerator
- Freezer
- Safety showers
- First aid kits
- Bulletin boards
- Whiteboards
- Consider the laboratory's purpose and ensure all countertops, workstations, wall colours, and flooring complement each other.
- Allow ample space for people to strategise and work together for experiments or projects.
- Ensure there is ample space for people and equipment to move around freely.
- Include plenty of storage options like countertop cabinets, overhead cupboards, racks, and shelves.
- Plan a separate space to store operational equipment, highly dangerous chemicals, and hazardous materials.
- Install fume hoods near HVAC systems to ensure proper ventilation.
- Designate the right space for plumbing connections, lab sinks, and electrical outlets.
- Provide ample windows to ensure proper cross-ventilation and ensure that there are windows on the interior walls for people to see each other.
- Place all mobile equipment and workstations in the centre of the lab and all the stationary equipment around it to form a perimeter.
- Choose a neutral colour scheme based on the purpose of the lab.
- Define floor spaces by opting for various colour patterns.
Exclusive Range of Classroom Furnitures from Inspace Furniture Solutions
Ways To Reconfigure Laboratory Layout In Schools
Introduce flexibility into the space
In the world of design, flexibility is often used to indicate the ability to reconfigure spaces. Therefore, many science lab furniture manufacturers, interior decorators, and architects favour moveable furniture systems, even in labs.
However, the teaching community is divided over the opinion of moving tables in a lab to promote flexibility. Some staff may feel that the room size and shape often make rearranging tables impossible. They may also find it disruptive and noisy.
However, on the contrary, there are many options to include flexibility in a lab. For example, when a centre area in a lab has unserviced tables and only perimeter benches, there are typically opportunities for reconfiguration. Noise and floor damage are not major issues because lockable castors can be used on all tables. However, you will also need a locking mechanism over and above the lockable castors to prevent the table from moving.
New, space-efficient, fully serviced island workstations address many of the issues. The design ideally suits pupil-centred learning and formal whole-class instruction. Providing ample worktop space per student and circulation space provides easy access for teachers and students. It also eliminates the “back row syndrome”.
Create clear channels for communication
Consider all environmental factors
- Positive and clear acoustics,
- Lab size
- Colour of paint used
- Ventilation