Purpose This research aims to understand the experiences of existing and imagined school environments of students in a socioeconomically disadvantaged district of Istanbul. Design/methodology/approach The multi-method approach functioned both as a post-occupancy evaluation of existing schools and a participatory design process generating insights for improved learning spaces. Data were collected through a diverse set of methods, including cognitive maps and in-depth interviews to explore students' experience of their existing schools; image sorting activities to help them select preferred spatial characteristics; wish poems, cognitive maps and an AI-supported tool to express their imagined school environments. Findings Content analysis revealed that students' spatial preferences are influenced by psychological and social needs, especially highlighting the themes of “socialization” and “personal development”. It indicates that children perceive school spaces not merely as a physical setting but as a social ecology, thereby suggesting inclusive design strategies that actively involve students in the process. Originality/value Equality in educational opportunity involves not only providing educational resources but also the inclusion of all students in creative and participatory learning experiences; thus, the project emphasizes the importance of enabling socio-economically disadvantaged students to have a voice in shaping their educational environments.
Üst et al. (2026) studied this question.