The theme of our project with students from Johannes Gymnasiet (High School) is to develop a design proposal for new and alternative learning spaces around the school.

We have started with sessions that are focussed on inspiring the students to start thinking about architecture and design and the effect that built spaces can have on the body. We held a half day of seminars to introduce these concepts, with an expert on the design of learning spaces and an architect specialising in sustainable building giving the class some valuable insights which they then developed and discussed in workshop activities.

The second workshop was focussed on taking this thinking out into the city. We led an ‘urban run’ which gave the students a number of sites (public spaces, buildings) for which to visit and a logbook in which to answer some questions based on their readings of the spaces, illustrated by photos of specific objects or features. Generating reflections and critical responses to designed objects and spaces is key to begin the process of creating design proposals.

After this stage, the students will analyse their findings and start to consider potential elements that they identify could work in a school setting. This is also where they learn more about the process of design: how to initiate ideas, refine them through testing and prototyping, leading towards a final proposal.

The Johannes Gymnasiet project therefore leads the high school students through the entire design practice, leading towards a final solution that will offer them a new learning space built to their own specifications, thus giving them ownership of the school environment and a unique learning experience.