Effects of Educational Buildings in Residential Areas on the Surroundings

Abstract

The presence of educational buildings in residential areas significantly impacts the surrounding environment, impacting social, infrastructural, and environmental aspects. This research explores the effects of educational institutions on residential neighbourhoods by examining both the benefits and challenges associated with their integration. Educational buildings contribute positively to urban communities by bringing in a sense of security, enhancing property values, and encouraging economic activity through local businesses that cater to students and faculty [1], [9]. Additionally, they provide convenience for teachers, students, and staff in terms of proximity and accessibility to their houses, reducing travel time and promoting community engagement [3]. However, several challenges arise due to the presence of educational buildings amongst residential areas. Increased traffic congestion, noise pollution, and parking shortages during peak hours and school events often lead to conflicts between institutions and local residents [10]. Furthermore, the lack of basic amenities such as bookstores, print shops, and cafes near educational buildings adds inconvenience for students and staff [11]. Another pressing issue is the inability of educational institutions to expand due to lack of spatial, as residents may be against the land acquisition for institutional growth [6]. Additionally, zoning laws and urban planning policies may not always align with the needs of both educational institutions and residential communities, leading to disputes and challenges [5]. This research utilises qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including case studies and surveys, to analyse these effects. This paper synthesises existing literature to provide an understanding of the consequences of educational buildings on their residential environments.

Introduction

1. Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Random House.
2. Lynch, K. (1960). The Image of the City. MIT Press.
3. Coleman, J. S. (1966). Equality of Educational Opportunity (Coleman Report). U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
4. Hanushek, E. A., &Rivkin, S. G. (2006). School Quality and the Black-White Achievement Gap. National Bureau of Economic Research.
5. Kayden, J. S. (2000). Privately owned public space: The New York City experience. Wiley.
6. Talen, E. (2005). New urbanism and American planning: The conflict of cultures. Routledge.
7. Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon & Schuster.
8. Chaskin, R. J., & Joseph, M. L. (2015). Integrating the inner city: The promise and perils of mixed-income public housing transformation. University of Chicago Press.
9. Fischel, W. A. (1995). The economics of zoning laws: A property rights approach to American land use controls. Johns Hopkins University Press.
10. Appleyard, D. (1981). Livable streets. University of California Press.
11. Freeman, L. (2005). Displacement or succession? Residential mobility in gentrifying neighborhoods. Urban Affairs Review, 40(4), 463–491. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087404273341
12. R. Gifford, Environmental Psychology: Principles and Practice, 4th ed., Colville, WA, USA: Optimal Books, 2007.

Conclusion

Based on the obtained data, we can conclude that despite having problems such as traffic and noise during the mornings and evenings, it could be fixed by designing educational buildings in a way to avoid these problems. It is clear that one of the main issues is the lack of parking space provided by these institutions. Many of them don’t have enough space to park their own bus and it can be observed that these buses are parked along nearby roads. These buildings must try to provide some sort of parking space for the vehicles. They can try and use that space as a play area during the school hours as there are not many vehicles and need the space before and after the school hours. They could also have a bell-mouth entry for the parents dropping off their kids without the need to park the car. The institutions could provide parking spaces for the parents’ vehicles either as underground parking or multi- level parking due to the lack of space. The students could also try opting for public transportation or car- pooling in order to avoid congestion of the roads during peak hours. There are advantages to these buildings being located in residential areas as well. They can easily be accessible by the students and the staff, thereby saving the traveling time of students and the staff. There could also be a provision of green spaces which would act as a buffer space and reduce the noise. The trees could also absorb the noise, thereby reducing the amount of noise effecting the neighbours. The location can be considered as a huge advantage, if these buildings are designed differently, considering the traffic congestion that could be caused by them, and solve this problem, even the residents wouldn’t have any problems with these institutions and the purpose of the building in that location is served without affecting anybody.

References

[1] Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Random House. [2] Lynch, K. (1960). The Image of the City. MIT Press. [3] Coleman, J. S. (1966). Equality of Educational Opportunity (Coleman Report). U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. [4] Hanushek, E. A., &Rivkin, S. G. (2006). School Quality and the Black-White Achievement Gap. National Bureau of Economic Research. [5] Kayden, J. S. (2000). Privately owned public space: The New York City experience. Wiley. [6] Talen, E. (2005). New urbanism and American planning: The conflict of cultures. Routledge. [7] Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon & Schuster. [8] Chaskin, R. J., & Joseph, M. L. (2015). Integrating the inner city: The promise and perils of mixed-income public housing transformation. University of Chicago Press. [9] Fischel, W. A. (1995). The economics of zoning laws: A property rights approach to American land use controls. Johns Hopkins University Press. [10] Appleyard, D. (1981). Livable streets. University of California Press. [11] Freeman, L. (2005). Displacement or succession? Residential mobility in gentrifying neighborhoods. Urban Affairs Review, 40(4), 463–491. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087404273341 [12] R. Gifford, Environmental Psychology: Principles and Practice, 4th ed., Colville, WA, USA: Optimal Books, 2007.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Preetha G, Pranathi S Udupa. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.