Creating educational spaces is about far more than aesthetics and fashion. A well-designed school or campus should be functional and practical but also rooted in the philosophy of the institution it serves. Architecture is never just a backdrop.
They should be easily manageable via the establishment of a rules-based order but should also offer students – especially senior students – an appropriate level of independence and autonomy.
Specialist teaching spaces – particularly those relating to science, technology and the arts – should be “industry adjacent” in feel and function, affording learners the opportunity to transition into apprenticeships and work.
We like to see the building’s structure and services expressed and exposed in educational buildings as these elements are, in themselves, educational.
In shared and open-plan spaces we pay a great deal of attention to acoustics, which is probably the most common element to be overlooked and later remediated – although not in buildings we design!
