Education
Featured Education Project
University of Newcastle Stephenson Building
A new world-leading home for engineering at Newcastle University
School design strategies must take a holistic view of creating more flexible, connected, sustainable and inclusive learning environments. From primary schools to higher education institutions, we design to support an exceptional user experience for students, faculty and staff to realize positive learning outcomes. Creating a stimulating environment can directly impact the development and pace of learning for students of any age. We understand how inclusive classrooms, advancing technologies and evolving student expectations influence educational facilities design.
Flexible and Connected Design Enhances Learning
The reality of a flexible and connected design model is that it allows any academic building to adjust to ever-changing learning and social interaction models. We have hands-on experience with these design elements such as:
- Flexible classrooms that incorporate moveable furniture
- Subdividing rooms with moveable or swing partitions
- Multipurpose workshops and laboratories with moveable worktops and storage
- Flexible breakout spaces or collision areas that allow larger areas to maneuver around and create impromptu meeting areas
- Flexible breakout spaces that can connect to one another
- Rooms that can open into hallways, creating larger interactive spaces
Navigating Sustainable and Inclusive Design
NORR recognizes that the spaces we create and the environments we shape have a profound impact on the people who use them. We implement systems and strategies guided by sustainability, durability, best practices and budget. We select building materials and systems that will perform over a significant life span while maintaining their intended appearance and efficiency – achieving the performance goals of the school. We fulfill these goals and aspirations by engaging our clients and stakeholders in a dynamic, inclusive and creative partnership with the design team throughout the planning and design process. From Additional Support Needs (ASN) and Special Educational Needs (SEN) to fully digitally enabled curriculum and hybrid learning design, our goal is to deliver a successful user-centric program and solution.
Recent Projects
Related Insight
Building For Purpose In Our Schools
Impactful collaborative learning spaces are a cornerstone of design in our schools. Across the spectrum of early childhood education, K-12 and higher education, connected classrooms are a given. While the pandemic has reduced the physical connection of students in the classrooms in the short term, this experience has guided us to reimagine collaboration for the […]