Architecture for education

An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about architecture for education

Project • By NAN ArchitectsNurseries

Lijia Kindergarten

Lijia Kindergarten is located in the Lijia District of the north side of Chongqing, China. Perched on the south bank of Jialing River, the geographical advantage provides an open and beautiful view for the kindergarten. However, due to the restricted right-triangle shape site area, the architect needs to address those problems in the design while also creating as many playful spaces as possible for children. Caption Caption Under the current circumstances, the volumes are piled up like staggered boxes to provide sufficient daily sunlight demand to meet the basic requirements for a kindergarten project. The structure consists of several concrete boxes between each of the childcare rooms. The stacked three-layer volumes are designe... More

NewsNews • 5 Nov 2024

Primary school in Au, Austria by Bernardo Bader Architekten recalls traditional approach to building in wood

Austrian architectural studio Bernardo Bader Architekten has completed a new primary school in Au, a town in the Bregenzerwald region of Vorarlberg, Austria. The school’s design and construction recalls the region’s traditional approach to building in wood. Gustav Willeit Au has a valued history of craftsmanship. The “Auer Zunft” (Auer Guild), an association of Vorarlberg construction craftsmen, was established in 1651 and continued until 1842. Their work remains visible today in many Baroque church buildings in Central Europe. “When building the new school, I was interested in whether the Auer Zunft recipe for success with all its mastery still exists and how life in the village works today,” s... More

Project • By JDAP Design - Architecture - PlanningNurseries

Garden School

The city in general, and a South Asian megacity in particular, is a challenging place for a child. To learn and grow, she needs an environment that fosters freedom and exploration – these are hard to come by in today’s city. The Garden School in Mumbai is conceived as this protective space, holding off the oppressive conventions and constraints of the city, for a child to be free. Niveditaa Gupta Niveditaa Gupta Niveditaa Gupta Niveditaa Gupta Niveditaa Gupta Set on a tiny plot of about 450 square metres and bordered by an overgrown urban village at one end and a narrow, busy street on the other, it was clear from the start that this kindergarten would need to be a vertical one. The available footprint,... More

Project • By Billard Leece PartnershipUniversities

Port Melbourne Secondary College

Port Melbourne Secondary College (PMSC) is the first vertical school as part of Australia’s biggest urban rejuvenation project, Fishermans Bend. Designed by Billard Leece Partnership (BLP), the school is within a designated precinct for advanced technology, innovation, and education where over the next 30 years, 80,000 people will live, work and study. The development gives Port Melbourne a new, forward-thinking learning hub for students and the local community who have access to the library, gym, food technology and art spaces after hours. “To design truly healthy and inclusive learning environments for our children and their communities, BLP leveraged our combined experience in health and education to create a civic presence... More

NewsNews • 24 Sep 2024

Primary school in Quebec epitomizes harmonious fusion of architecture, education, and nature

Montreal-based architectural studios Pelletier de Fontenay and Leclerc architectes worked in collaboration to complete École du Zénith, a primary school that epitomizes a harmonious fusion of architecture, education, and nature. Located in Shefford, Quebec, the school is the result of an architectural competition launched by the non-profit organization Lab-École in 2019. (Lab-École’s educational model promotes a redesigned physical environment, the development of a physically active lifestyle, and the adoption of a healthy diet for children. The competition re-evaluated the way in which primary schools are organized and built in Quebec.) James Brittain James Brittain Nestled in a wid... More

NewsNews • 18 Sep 2024

Localworks completes Namabaale Education Centre campus in Uganda

Namabaale Education Centre nestles in the lush and undulating landscape of Lwengo District in the Central Region of Uganda. Designed by Localworks, a Uganda-based studio specializing in the design and construction of contextual green architecture, Namabaale Education Centre is a 3-in-1 primary school campus for 1,000 children (the project is funded by the Cotton On Foundation). Will Boase Photography Localworks Localworks The new education centre’s plan was designed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. “The primary school was intended to be a single primary campus in the original master plan, which was designed prior to the pandemic,” explains Juliana Achi, Graduate Architect at Localworks. &ld... More

NewsNews • 19 Aug 2024

Bright, double-height atrium provides vibrant center of activity in Quebec high school

Birtz Bastien Beaudoin Laforest (BBBL) and Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes have completed the École secondaire de la Nouvelle-Ère (New Era High School) in Gatineau, a city in south-western Quebec, Canada. The school’s design prioritizes natural light, open spaces, and warm materials, creating an environment which is conducive to learning, creativity, and comfort. A bright, double-height atrium provides an especially vibrant center of activity. Nanne Springer Nanne Springer Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes inc. BBBL and Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes formed a consortium in 2017 to design the new high school. (BBBL joined Canadian architectural firm Provencher_Roy in 2018.) The 10,895-squa... More

NewsNews • 13 Aug 2024

New preschool in Vijayawada, India, would not look out of place on the set of Teletubbies

Ahmedabad-based andblack design studio recently completed Cocoon, a preschool addition to Bloomingdale International School (Galileo Campus) in Vijayawada, India. With its undulating green roof and ovoid skylights, the building would not look out of place on the set of Teletubbies. Vinay Panjwani andblack design studio andblack design studio Working across several design disciplines, including architecture, interiors, and furniture design, andblack design studio draws inspiration from the complex interactions present in nature and the simple commonplace concepts found in everyday life. Cocoon is a building that combines parametric architecture, computational tools, and common sense design to create a thriving env... More

NewsNews • 29 Jul 2024

KSM Architecture creates climate sensitive design for Chennai-based learning community

Chennai-based KSM Architecture has completed the “Learning Community at Quest”, a place for children aged 8 to 16 years old that nurtures interest-based activities, self-directed learning, and an “unschooling” approach to education. Located close to the seafront in the Besant Nagar neighborhood of Chennai, India, the learning community’s colorful design comprises a collection of free-flowing interior volumes that provide a sense of space and visual connectivity. The building’s design places a clear focus on addressing Chennai’s warm climate. Sreenag BRS Sreenag BRS KSM Architecture On the learning community’s western side, a tree-lined front court with a small set o... More

NewsNews • 23 Jul 2024

Semillas creates educational space in Peru’s central jungle to promote cultural and environmental preservation

Established in 2014, Semillas is a Peruvian non-profit organization that develops architectural projects through participatory processes, the promotion of cooperation between institutions, and sustainable development. Semillas views architecture as a cultural expression and a way in which to improve a person’s quality of life. One example of this is the studio’s “Mencoriari Technological and Environmental Laboratory” — this educational and community project is located in the indigenous community of Mencoriari in the rural area of the district of Pangoa, Satipo Province, in Peru’s central jungle. Here, a versatile educational space has been created that offers an alternative to a traditional classroom. It... More

NewsNews • 16 Jul 2024

Kindergarten in Villacurí, Peru, showcases use of traditional materials and building techniques

Architects Betsaida Curto Reyes of Estudio Copla and Ander Bados Sesma of Atelier Ander Bados have collaborated on the design of a kindergarten in Villacurí in the heart of the Peruvian desert. The project is part of an initiative for All Hands and Hearts, a non-profit international disaster relief organization. The area’s school had not been rebuilt since Peru’s 2007 earthquake. Today, the school is an acclaimed example of educational architecture and a showcase for the use of traditional materials, building techniques, and sustainability. Estudio Copla Estudio Copla Eleazar Cuadros Located in Peru’s Ica region, Villacurí is described as a human settlement that came about as... More

NewsNews • 8 Jul 2024

SALT Architects completes superior school extension in Stellenbosch using minimal resources

Cape Town-based SALT Architects has designed a new multi-functional extension for a school in Stellenbosch, South Africa. In a project for Calling Education, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to transform education in South Africa, the extension improves facilities at the organization’s Calling Academy Stellenbosch campus. SALT Architects has created a superior educational environment using minimal resources: “This illustrates to learners from low-income communities that opportunity and achievement are not solely dependent on monetary value,” says the studio. Southland Photography - David Savage Southland Photography - David Savage Caption Operating on a tight budget, the school’s exp... More

NewsNews • 3 Jul 2024

Circular’s colorful design for New York City preschool is guided by Passive House standards

Brooklyn-based architectural studio Circular has completed the adaptive reuse of a partially constructed commercial building into a new public preschool. Guided by Passive House standards, the project is a welcoming and sustainable community initiative. Frank Oudeman Circular The Corona 3K Public Preschool is located in Corona, a diverse and fast-growing neighborhood in the Queens borough of New York City —  here, more than 30 percent of residents are under 18 years old. The preschool sits on a busy corner site, adjacent to an elevated subway train. “The design and engineering prioritized creating excellent indoor air quality, ensuring that occupants are shielded from outdoor pollutants, while also provid... More

NewsNews • 20 May 2024

Filippo Taidelli Architetto designs transparent “knowledge hangar” near Milan

Milan-based Filippo Taidelli Architetto designed the Roberto Rocca Innovation Building as part of the campus of Humanitas University, an international medical school. Located in Pieve Emanuele, a comune in the Italian region of Lombardy and part of the Metropolitan City of Milan, the new building is characterized by its transparent facade and wooden load-bearing construction. The design concept is that of a “knowledge hangar”, a structure with reconfigurable spaces that respond to Humanitas University’s ever evolving needs and the rapid pace of technological innovation. Giovanni Hanninen Filippo Taidelli Architetto Described as “a place of learning and exchange where science and innovation meet the... More

Project • By Jaws ArchitectsNurseries

Larapi Child and Family Learning Centre

The Larapi Child and Family Learning Centre provides a warm and welcoming environment for local families to bring their young children to play and connect with other parents, centre staff and any service providers they may need.  Natasha Mulhall Natasha Mulhall Symbolically bearing the palawa kani name for the Flowerdale River which flows through much of the Waratah / Wynyard municipality, the centre is intimately tied to its broader geographical setting, creating a strong connection with place. Natasha Mulhall Natasha Mulhall Drawing on the duality of the Wynyard urban grid juxtaposed against the meandering river, the planning of the centre uses these two contextual elements to shape the building design. A cubby... More