| Title |
Design Strategies for Enhancing Social Interactions in Residential-Commercial Mixed Schools |
| Authors |
박노욱(Park, Noh-wook) ; 이경선(Lee, Kyung-Sun) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2025.41.4.85 |
| Keywords |
Residential-Commercial Mixed School; Social Interaction; Georg Simmel; School Complex Facilities |
| Abstract |
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education introduced the Residential-Commercial Mixed Schools plan to address declining student numbers and uneven distribution across autonomous districts. This initiative seeks to prevent school closures by downsizing schools while repurposing excess land for public housing development to attract school-age residents. However, the plan envisions a strictly separated educational environment, limiting community access to prioritize student safety. While this approach reduces opportunities for social interaction, the strong societal focus on student protection is unlikely to change in the near future. Given these constraints, architectural planning strategies must balance safety with social engagement. This study explores ways to enhance interaction in residential-commercial mixed schools, which are set to become common in urban areas. Using Georg Simmel’s Sociology of Space theory as an analytical framework, case studies are examined to develop planning guidelines. The findings highlight the importance of creating relational spaces that connect facilities, organizing horizontally clustered layouts, incorporating programs that strengthen community ties, securing buffer zones, and allowing partial openness in outdoor areas. These findings offer essential architectural guidelines to foster social interaction in residential-commercial mixed schools, which have less space than traditional schools. Additionally, this study suggests architectural solutions to address broader social challenges in educational settings. |