The Impact of Landmarks’’ Visibility on Children’s Navigational Performance: A Visual Graph and Behavior Analysis in Bahraini Primary Schools

Abstract

Architectural Characteristics of school-built environments significantly impact students’ learning experiences, perceptions, and behaviors. While existing literature predominantly focuses on adults’ perceptions, research on navigational performance often overlooks the critical role of visual landmark visibility in fostering students’ self-confidence, safety, and well-being. Therefore, this study addresses the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical applications by examining the impact of landmarks’ visibility on navigational behavior, aiming to improve the spatial experience for primary school students in Bahrain. The study integrates Space Syntax through Visibility Graph Analysis to assess landmark visibility across two primary school buildings. It also employs behavior analysis through descriptive frequency count to evaluate students’ confidence levels and confusion during the navigational process. The qualitative and quantitative results reveal that landmarks’ visibility significantly impacts navigational performance, offering recommendations to designers and policymakers to curate school designs that enhance students’ learning experience while promoting their mental and physical well-being.