26 Kostas Dimopoulos
Source: Personal archive.
Figure 8. A classroom characterized by strong framing.
The classroom presented in Figure 8 is characterized by strong framing. This evaluation
is based on the following observations:
a) The criteria for the legitimate use of the classroom space are quite evident and
explicit. Specifically, desks and chairs are ordered in an easily recognizable way,
imposing certain seating arrangement of students‘ bodies. Furthermore, the thick
wooden framework of the notice board at the back wall of the classroom
circumscribes a well defined surface for the students to put their announcements or
other texts echoing their voice.
b) The mobility allowed by the various material elements comprising classroom
environment seems quite restricted. Desks which are the only visible pieces of
furniture in this classroom seem quite heavy and are distributed with high density in
space, thus not allowing easy reconfigurations of students‘ seating arrangements.
c) The classroom environment is characterized by high levels of uniformity, containing
only identical desks, chairs and empty white walls (with the exception of the notice
board). The climate of uniformity and austerity is further reinforced by the school
uniform worn by all the students.
d) The material arrangements tend to also restrict significantly students‘ vision
significantly. First of all, students‘ seating is arranged in such a way so the teacher
becomes the focal point of their vision while at the same time preventing the eye-
contact between the classmates.^14 Secondly, the notice board has high salience due to
its large size, colour contrast with the white surrounding wall and its central(^14) It is worth noting at this point that despite the fact that the seating arrangement attempts to control students‘
vision as shown in the Figure, quite a significant number of them, especially those sitting at desks at the back
of the classroom does not conform to this intended outcome. The conflict between the legitimate behavior
imposed or invited by school materiality and the behavior of students in reality is an issue further up taken in
the conclusion section.