Designing Human-Centered Environments for Health Outcomes in Educational Settings: A Literature Review

This study explores how human-centered environmental design affects student health, cognitive performance, and overall well-being in educational settings. The research combines evidence from environmental psychology, ergonomics, and user experience design to review how physical and sensory environments affect student and educator health by influencing body functions, mental states, and social interactions. The research used scoping review methods to identify peer-reviewed studies published in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar from 1990 to 2025. A total of 100 studies were included following screening and quality assessment. The research findings show that spaces that combine natural elements with adjustable ergonomic design and accessible areas for all people create better conditions that lead to better attention focus, reduced stress, and improved overall health. The research study reveals essential deficiencies in studies that monitor subjects over time while using multiple sensory inputs in real-world environments. The research shows that educational space design requires multiple fields to work together for creating learning spaces that support student thinking development and protect student health and fairness.