A survey of several hundred German students led to two theses on school environment and learning. First, students find school buildings attractive only if they conform to certain features of the human sensory system such as balance. Second, students consider school buildings attractive and inviting only if their architectural message meets such social needs as warmth and openness. Humans perceive structure not only through conscious sight, but through dynamic perceptions of composition or pattern. This spontaneous dynamic apprehension process must take place before one can perceive a structure as "rigid,""dynamic,""living," or "dead." In addition, buildings always activate the human sense of balance, which is important in determining a person's relationship to space. Research shows that to regain their own sense of balance, students use eye movements to compensate for shapes that are displayed obliquely. Oblique structural angles upset the sense of balance and create a hostile architectural geometry. By contrast, balanced structures containing obliques and oblique counterangles are perceived as lively and exhilarating. Students who perceive antisocial messages in architecture may try to ignore, counter, or visually evade the structure. Thus, a school building can be attractive only if it provides various and stimulating structural shapes and colors, liberating and unconstrained configuration, and warmth and softness of colors and shapes. (JPT)