ABSTRACT

I ended the last chapter by suggesting that an adaptation of Lefebvre’s spatial triad could be useful in capturing something of the experiences of learning spaces. At fi rst glance, unravelling the intersections between a particular set of social and spatial practices, the places in which these take place, and what we each bring to the situation may sound unnecessarily complicated. But of course, it is what we actually do all the time, as we continually negotiate our relationships with each other and the world. This chapter begins by examining how student (and other) experiences of learning spaces are usually evaluated, and then goes on to explore the research of Clare Melhuish (2010a, 2010b). She brings to the debate a background in both ethnography and architecture, and therefore suggests one approach for examining both social and spatial practices.