Flexible  Learning Environments
Our design approach to Educational spaces is centered on creating flexible, adaptive learning environments. These spaces effectively cater for multiple group sizes concurrently, and actively support non hierarchical content delivery and tuition. Rooms are designed to accommodate multiple modes of tuition and learning.

Expression of School Culture
School Identity is fostered by culture and ethos, but is directly expressed in a tangible manner through the built form. At 3iD, we believe that a school should promote an identity as expressed through its Architecture, in turn breaking down the notion of the “institution”. Modern educational Architecture should be dynamic, responsive, flexible and adaptive.

Reinforcing School Identity
While it is critical to consider  pragmatics, function and budget, it is only when these are coupled with the active and effective  expression of the school’s identity that these translate into a genuinely successful fulfilment of the brief.

Design for special needs
Its is now acknowledged that every individual learns differently and responds to different modes of learning. The challenge for the modern educational Architect is to design spaces to accommodate these differences.

Refurbishment & Repurposing
3iD Architecture has extensive experience in converting, refurbishing and re-purposing Educational buildings to suit modern Educational pedagogies.

Spaces for Learning & Play
Our design process ensures careful consideration in integrating internal and external environments. Successful educational Architecture needs to actively respond to and encourage active lifestyles, play and socialisation.

Current Architectural educational research is seeking to reduce anxiety and distractions in the Learning Environment, to promote more effective management over of over-stimulation in an open class setting. This is of particular relevance due to the increasing prevalence of developmental vulnerabilities, anxiety disorders and Autism spectrum conditions.

There is a significant developing body of research on the principals of designing effective school environments for children with Anxiety disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Whilst Autism spectrum has its own physiological profile, the concepts remain pertinent for students for all backgrounds – particularly those with heightened anxiety and developmental delay.

Acoustics
Reducing noise and echo in educational spaces can help increase attention spans and behavioural temperament. Environmental acoustics need to be varied depending on the amount of concentration required for the task/activity. Low reverberation, high absorptive materials and non planar walls/ ceilings not only provide colour and texture, but provide better environments for learning.

Spatial Sequencing
Providing routine and predictability by logically sequencing spaces gives students a sense of security. Spaces are planned to provide logical transitions between activities and to promote a sense of routine a predictability. A key example of this is controlling entry and exit points to a space, managed through the use of transition spaces.

Escape Space
The benefit of Withdrawal Space has been acknowledged as part of Educational Architecture for over 25 years. Providing a space to escape from the over-stimulation of the surrounding environment is a central concept to enable children to balance themselves and undertake activities requiring reflection, focus or attention, and to self-moderate behavioural anxieties.

Compartmentalisation
Organising spaces/buildings into compartments with a defined function and sensory quality gives children the means to distinguish between and chose environments best suited to the mode of inquiry being undertaken. This can be achieved through colour, form, lighting, volume and furniture selection.