18 educationdab.co.uk interior design Best practices for designing schools – an American viewpoint Carly McDougall, Interior Designer at FCA, explains how she applied her interior design philosophy at a number of leading USA schools DESIGNING spaces for learning is about far more than just creating classrooms—it’s about shaping environments that nurture curiosity, promote collaboration, and instil confidence. But as learning strategies and classroom practices continue to evolve, the facilities that support these efforts must grow and change too. The most successful education spaces weave flexibility into their core from the outset of the design process, allowing them to evolve as pedagogy and student needs change. Flexibility should not be seen as a trend; rather, it should be a core foundation for learning environments. This belief was put into practice at the Goodwin University Early Childhood Magnet School in East Hartford, Connecticut, a 51,000-squarefoot project that combined new construction with renovation. Aimed at serving students from pre-K through fifth grade, the space’s design focused on offering flexibility at every scale, from circulation to individual furniture choices in each classroom. During the furniture selection process, our team at FCA specifically sought out pieces to encourage student-led learning. Unique, curved desks allow for sharing space and easy collaboration, while specialized casters make layout rearrangement second nature. A mobile flip-top table with dry-erase markerboard finish can transform seamlessly from a workstation to a learning tool. This adaptability empowers students and teachers to tailor the environment to the needs of each day’s specific lesson, fostering a greater sense of ownership and engagement in the classroom. Flexibility is a design imperative in the modern classroom, but its use goes outside classrooms and into shared environments for interdisciplinary connection and collaboration. At the University of New Haven’s Bergami Centre for Science, Technology, and Innovation, a variety of space typologies serve to unlock the creative potential of occupants. This 45,500-square-foot facility is located at the heart of the campus and acts as a hub for cross-major collaboration where students can collaborate on projects, conceive new ideas, and create new pathways for innovation. As a designer, one of the most meaningful lessons I’ve learned is that safety and openness aren’t opposed. The Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut illustrates this balance in practice. After an unimaginable tragedy, we prioritized a design process centred on healing and direct community outreach. From the beginning, we knew that community engagement would be the key to success in designing a new school at such a unique site within a close-knit community. We started by inviting local residents to participate in programming and visioning workshops to ensure that the new school’s design was envisioned with their priorities and concerns in mind. The result is a space that balances security with a need for transparency. Sited on elevated ground, the building offers clear sightlines across the campus, aimed at enhancing both visibility and safety. A generous on-site setback works with layered, thoughtful landscape design to create a natural threshold between public and private zones on the campus. Full-height exterior glazing fills corridors and classrooms with daylight and natural views, establishing a visual connection to nature while maintaining observability. This balance of openness and protection underscores the school’s broader mission: providing a safe, protected environment for students and staff while catalysing community connection and learning engagement. Looking ahead, the future of education design will rely on understanding the “why” behind what makes certain practices effective. Creating these spaces is a continuous dance and balance between proven educational practices of the past with the forever-shifting and changing dynamics of future generations and anticipation of their needs. The limitations we face, spatial, financial, or otherwise, should be approached as opportunities to drive greater innovation, challenging designers to create multifunctional, resilient spaces that act as a living, breathing ecosystem—one that evolves and grows alongside the communities that it serves. www.fcarchitects.com
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