The videos below explore different themes of the physical learning environment and how it should support education activities.

Designing for Education

This video is from the launch of Designing for Education. Introduced by Shane O’Toole it starts with the School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa and is followed by some reflections on the development of learning spaces over the course of the last fifty years.

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Flexibility in Schools

This video is about a visit to some primary schools in Victoria, Australia in December 2009. The tour was to multipurpose facility at Carrum Downs Primary School, and the library and learning neighbourhood at Skye Primary School.  These schools were adapted using template designs and were part of the Building Education Revolution which was part of Australia’s $16.2 bn commitment under its economic stimulus plan.

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Template Designs in Australia

Following from the video on flexibility in schools, below are examples of the template designs from the Department of Early Childhood and Care, Victoria, Australia  .  Left, the library in the centre is linked to classrooms; right, a multi-purpose centre. These, or variations of them, can be linked together to create stand-alone buildings, or additions to existing structures.

See also Stephen Turner of architectural practice Gray Puksand and Richard Leonard of Hayball who talk about the development of the template designs.

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Architecture for Learning

“A University should be a place of light, of liberty and of learning,” declared Benjamin Disraeli (former British Prime Minister and author) in March 1873 during a parliamentary debate on the “University Education (Ireland) Bill“. These qualities are equally applicable to all education environments. Here are the six commendations from Designing for Education.