Design for Learning - The 21st Century School
What is this?
Building on the work of the Designing Scotland's Sustainable School of the Future project, the Design for Learning – The 21st Century School project aims to bring together primary and secondary schoolchildren plus other key stakeholders in Scotland's school estates with architects, designers and other creative professionals to work on a number of live pilot projects linked to school design.
Managed by the Lighthouse, the project will over the course of the next 3 years work with 10 Councils across Scotland on different pilot projects focussed on specific school sites as follows. More details can be found in the publication for year 1 (link below):
- Future Learning Space – partners North Lanarkshire Council refurbishment of Kilsyth Academy with Malcolm Fraser Architects from 2004-2006. This pilot will explore how application of new design thinking can be connected to changes in learning style and increased use of the school as a community resource. This pilot will result in an actual intervention into the fabric of the school.
The remaining pilots will run for one year, and will be repeated 3 times in different areas of the country.
- Re:Design - will work this year with Stirling Council and Henry McKeown of JM Architects to involve of the student council in the re:design of student social spaces in their new PPP school.
- Rethinking the Classroom – will work this year with Moray Council and Elgin High School in partnership with One Foot Taller design company on considering how pupils in transition between primary and secondary schools can be better supported through the design of learning spaces. Moray Council have also funded the inclusion of Greenward Primary School in the consultation for the project.
- Grounds for Design - is working with Comhairle n Siar and Sir E Scott Secondary School and leading landscape designer, Lisa MacKenzie to consider the potential for a range of outdoor learning activities at the school.
FLaT involvement?
FLaT support is being provided to help generate and implement new ideas about the way in which we might build, renovate and use school buildings in order to raise educational achievement, promote sustainable development and support a culture of lifelong learning and local communities.
Links with National Priorities?
1. Achievement & Attainment;
4. Values and Citizenship;
5. Learning for Life.
Project aims?
- To generate ideas for buildings which will inspire and motivate teachers and pupils to maximise their individual and collective educational potential.
- To generate and implement new ideas about the way in which we might build, renovate and use school buildings in order to raise educational achievement, promote sustainable development and support a culture of lifelong learning and local communities.
Project outcomes?
- Developing, through workshop scenarios, a number of design solutions addressing a range of issues that will have a bearing on learning outcomes.
- Develop partnerships between local authorities, service providers, designers and teachers and pupils to help deliver tangible solutions that can make a difference in practice.
- Highlighting and disseminating good practice in the design and procurement of school buildings.
Timescale?
The project started in January 2004 and will be completed by September 2006.
Level of Support?
FLaT support is a grant of £342,500, plus evaluation costs.
Who are the evaluation team?
To be agreed.
Contact person:
Anne Cunningham, Professional Development Officer, The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Architecture, Design and the City, 56 Mitchell Street, Glasgow G1 3LX. Tel: 0141 2210674. Email: anne@thelighthouse.co.uk