Abstract

Educational spaces have a significant impact on students' overall well-being, motivation, and academic performance. However, teachers and students, key users of these environments, are often excluded from the architectural design process. This study aimed to define architectural design guidelines for classrooms through a participatory approach grounded in “serious play” dynamics. The methodology involved adapting the "School Vision Game" to the Chilean context and implementing it in participatory workshops with students in Years 9 and 10, along with their teachers. Participants co-created classroom design proposals in groups, which were documented on visual boards and analyzed qualitatively. The results reveal shared priorities between teachers and students, including collaboration, spatial flexibility, and a strong emphasis on well-being. The study highlights the value of participatory tools in integrating users' perspectives into educational architecture, providing meaningful insights for designing learning environments that respond to the emotional, functional, and pedagogical needs of their users. © 2025 Healthy Buildings Europe 2025 - Proceedings of an ISIAQ International Conference. All rights reserved.