From transit to interaction: design strategies for high-density school corridors

Abstract

High-density primary schools increasingly assign corridors dual roles, requiring them to support daily circulation and emergency egress while accommodating recess-time informal learning under limited outdoor space. This paper proposes a conceptual typological framework for corridor retrofits, synthesizing three recurring spatial strategies: Boundary Thickening, Nodal Expansion, and Visual Permeability with Guidance Coding. The framework clarifies how each strategy can decouple fast movement from short-duration staying, helping to maintain wayfinding clarity and circulation safety in space-constrained educational environments.