Homes for the elderly housed by the federal government require one hundred and eight square feet per person. Prisoners in jail cells have forty-eight square feet. Fall out shelters range from four to ten square feet. The amount of time spent on the event has a direct correlation to the amount of space provided in most areas. Schools do not seem to follow this school of thought.
Students spend six to seven hours a day at school.
Wiles is of the opinion that designers have given very little thought to the amount of space children need in the classroom. At the time this article was written, Wiles tells us that public classrooms were 1200 square feet. This square footage is reduced dramatically to around 661 square feet after adding furniture, storage, desks, and pathways. Wiles recommends that if the classroom teacher is to attempt a diverse curriculum, an individualized approach to instruction, or a more personal pattern of interaction with students, these efforts may be sabotaged prematurely by the subtle variable of personal space. Personal space has a direct impact on learning, and designers must take this into consideration when designing schools.