The A. P. Møller School in Schleswig, Germany demonstrates how outdoor spaces can meet psycho-social needs as well as pedagogical and athletic ones.

Designed by C.F. Møller Architects of Århus, Denmark, the school takes advantage of its proximity to a nature reserve to provide a tranquil, scenic park for outdoor learning, athletics, playing and socializing.Circular "islands" dot the park landscape, serving as teaching zones or activity centers.The former physical and thus psychological distinction between activity area and learning area is blurred, imparting a more holistic mindset to the educational experience.Julian Wyer, A. P. Møller partner, says "The physical environment should now offer new interdisciplinary possibilities and environments, and these requirements have found expression in a new school architecture....Today, mainly due to new demands in teaching and group work, the aim is to achieve overlap, i.e. the possibility of seamless transitions between different zones and functional areas, thus creating a multitude of teaching areas which may be freely utilized."

Fanning Howey's development of two atriums from former light wells at the historic Eastern High School in Washington, D.C. also demonstrates the creation of a welcoming gathering space that serves a vital psycho-social function in the lives of students.Eastern did not have Møller's luxury of surrounding parkland, however.The difficulty here was creating protected, inviting space in an urban environment.As Ed Schmidt, AIA, Executive Director of Fanning Howey's D.C. office puts it, "Everyone recognizes the benefits of outdoor learning spaces - places where students can interact in a casual setting while connecting with their surroundings.The challenge facing urban schools is how to provide this type of experience while maintaining security and making the most of constricted sites."What to do?As Schmidt says, "In many cases, the best solution is not to bring learning outdoors, but to bring the outdoors inside the building.The result is that the students of Eastern enjoy all the benefits of an outdoor learning environment, and the school benefits from having spaces that are efficient to heat and light, as well as easy to maintain."The much admired and much utilized results provide students with a safe milieu meeting an important developmental need.