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Design+ Designing future schools

interpretations and reoccupations. This would include or possibility of a space to enact the intentional functions
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designing for different sensory zones: enclosed neutral of teaching and learning. 53
spaces that enable focus and reduced cognitive load; others The classroom remains the basis for conceptualizing and
for focused immersive or project-based activities; and also, enacting the purpose and operation of a school. Tradition
for large-group instructional activity. This ensures that is a durable influence on the institution of schooling, and
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the ecosystem conveys a sense of belonging and supports the work of teachers is grounded in convention, reinforced
the social learning interactions necessary for effective by accountability measures in terms of the schools
learning. In addition, segregated spaces may be needed for function in relation to the economy and society. 54,55 The
smaller groups of students to provide safe spaces that are flexibility concept leverages the idea of the classroom as
visible and supervised, that can act as escape spaces (e.g., the basic building block, although it expands the way the
caves, treehouses, nooks, and window seats). These may classroom can be designed and used by asking designers
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be located near education support staff offices and meeting to consider the interactions between space, time, teaching,
rooms. Consideration should also be given to how students and learning.
transition between spaces to ensure minimal disruption or
dislocation from their learning community. As identified in Table 1, the design implication is that
spaces need not be large-scale open-plan environments
3.4. Flexibility that take the idea of flexibility to its extreme end. Rather,

Flexibility has a particular meaning for designers of school given the durability of the classroom, it is perhaps more
buildings. In essence, it refers to a capacity for spaces effective to think of a series of modular spaces that are
to accommodate teaching practices that, in turn, are a largely similar but that can be expanded or enclosed
response to the diverse range of learning and well-being of according to purpose. This raises the question of how
student needs and preferences. This is sometimes referred the boundaries between spaces can be physically or
to by educators as personalizing the learning environment. symbolically created to ensure this permeability. The use of
What would this look like? A personalized classroom furniture to create bounded zones within each classroom
may include conferencing tables for discussions, rooms space allows the configuration of different spaces through
or zones within the classroom for group activities such the activities of students engaged in learning tasks. These
as multi-media representation or reading, and a range of multiple configurations within spaces allow for different
movable and configurable furniture that can transition groups of students to rework the space and allow teachers
to have visible supervision and control. The flexible
between learning modalities. 5
affordances of each space can be created based on the
The idea of flexibility draws on Vygotsky’s sociocultural pedagogical modalities being practiced by the teacher
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theory of mediating learner development using scaffolding and experienced by the student. In this way, flexibility is
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– the learning environment provides a framework understood as ensuring that classroom spaces are ordered,
for learning processes and experiences that can be and made workable, by the actions of the teacher and the
reconfigured depending on the capacity of student agency student. Spaces can be seen as transitional, adaptive and
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or autonomy. The design of the learning environment participatory as they are occupied and reoccupied.
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acts as a component of this metaphorical scaffolding. The
design of the physical space can be thought of as scaffolding 3.5. Agency
using flexible capacity, where configuration becomes An important educational idea driving future education
a tool to address the learning task. The use of different design is student agency to create school learning spaces
instructional spaces, movable furniture, and technology and related objects. 58,59 Agency is defined in relation to
can all be a part of this scaffolding approach. 52 interaction between students and their classroom or school
Flexibility affords the dynamic shaping of an spaces, to manipulate their immediate environment. This
environment through participatory action and adaptation involves age-based activities. Students in primary schools
to the learning task, given the resources available. The day- may express this through play, building and rebuilding
to-day practice of the teacher, in a flexible space that is objects, movement, and choices about sensory inputs and
used adaptably, requires the management or supervision of control. More senior students may be involved in making
a multiplicity of space-time-pedagogical activity. A diverse choices about their learning: the when, how, and where
student cohort requires a differentiated pedagogy, and they learn within school.
this requires a differentiated environment. This is not an Agency refers to a capacity to act, which is a key part of
automatic response to the features of the built environment, active learning, and can be supported or constrained by
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but an ongoing adaptation based on the perceived capacity the context and culture of the classroom. Modern design

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 6 doi: 10.36922/dp.4131