Interactive Learning Architecture

The experiences in the formative years of a child?s life can greatly impact their lives as adults. It is becoming more and more evident that children learn and adapt best when they are in an interactive learning environment. There needs to be an emphasis placed on imagination and play rather than an emphasis placed on ?meeting the requirements? through testing and memorization. This thesis will examine the issues at hand involving development in young children and how an exploration of a more interactive learning environment through architecture can benefit children in their early stages of life. To achieve this, research will be conducted on what type of design promotes interactive behavior and how to design spaces that convey a learning environment and/or a connection to nature. This research will then be applied to the design of a children?s museum that will serve the Fargo/Moorhead community