Education

The strength of a learning organisation is shaped as much by the informal, day-to-day contact of its members as it is by formal gatherings at scheduled appointments. The careful design of educational buildings can radically enhance the likelihood of these otherwise unplanned encounters.

A well designed building uses its common circulation spaces, both indoors and outdoors, to supplement the formal process of education and knowledge generation by providing staff and students with opportunities for informal, face-to-face contact. The aims in doing so are increased levels of creativity and innovation as well as an improved sense of community culture and wellbeing.

Client objectives

Return on investment
Business effectiveness
Speed of design & planning process
User wayfinding, comfort & convenience
Staff communication & productivity
Safety & security
Staff satisfaction & retention
Organisational character & identity
Development & dissemination of knowledge/culture
Community engagement.

Products

Pre-planning & design
Growth/downsizing strategy
Site evaluation & selection
Competitor analysis & precedent studies
Existing user behaviour analysis
Working culture definition.

Planning & design
Critical review of development proposals
Masterplan/campus design
Overall building layout design
Department layout design
Furniture layout design
User behaviour forecasting
User group profiling
Character & identity creation
Wayfinding & signage strategy
Planning support.

Post-planning & design
User flow enhancement (signage & wayfinding)
Performance benchmarking
Staff interaction enhancement (layout redesign)
Accommodating growth & downsizing.

Process

Data collection surveys
User flow volume/density
Staff/student interaction
User attitudes interviews/questionnaires
User interaction & communication.

Data analysis
Location accessibility analysis (public & private transport)
Building layout efficiency
Vertical movement efficiency
Departmental structure & location
Movement network capacity
Entrance/exit capacity.

Impact simulation
User flow volume & density
User interaction & communication intensity
Safety & security effectiveness.