Achieving Healthy Upbringing through School Design: A Case Study of Iraqi School Buildings

Children worldwide face critical health challenges, including obesity, physical inactivity, poor awareness of healthy lifestyles, and the spread of infectious diseases during the school year, affecting their future well-being. Given the vital role of school buildings in children's development—by providing supportive environments that enhance physical, mental, and social well-being—the concept of "health-promoting schools" has gained research attention. This study reviews global literature to identify key design considerations and indicators for such schools, analyzing successful international models. It also examines the current state of local schools, both existing and newly constructed, along with proposed designs from the Engineering Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Education. The research problem is defined as the "lack of a clear framework for locally adapted health-promoting school design." Using an analytical approach, the study establishes these considerations in a local context, revealing that effective school architecture relies on four core aspects: environmental, psychological, physical, and social health. The study emphasizes the need to adopt detailed indicators for these aspects in future school designs while proposing solutions to improve existing buildings, ultimately enhancing children's overall well-being.