Learning

Two Sydney Schools Show Why Biophilia Is an Asset to Educational Spaces

Yellow petals flower by Aaron Burden

Yellow petals flower by Aaron Burden

In general, high schools have been late to the idea of incorporating biophilic design. But, in Austraila, public funds are being committed to design educational spaces that marry to innovative academic programs, resulting in increased learning and overall wellbeing.

"Adult employees aren’t the only group who can benefit from biophilic design. Two New South Wales schools are using nature to improve the learning experience and wellbeing of their students.

Key features

As part of a larger initiative to improve the local education system in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, a new generation of educational facilities has been funded by the government. Part of the development are the recently opened and co-located Meadowbank Public School and Marsden High School. The school facilities, which accommodate more than 2,500 students, were designed by Woods Bagot. They incorporate biophilia in the learning environment: the site was studded with a network of old trees to which two two-storey twin buildings with a series of central libraries and cascading gardens were nestled among. A variety of outdoor areas for play, exercise and active learning are located throughout the property, as are adjacent courtyards. The designers also considered access to natural daylight and views to surrounding nature when designing interior learning spaces so that students can continuously benefit from their presence... Read more in this FRAME article."