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DESIGNING AMBIGUITY by Caitlin Daly, AIA
U
nderstanding what flexible learning spaces are in educational design is as simple as it is complex. A flexible learning space is intended to allow for an interdisciplinary, active approach to learning. Spurred on by engageNY and NYS Next Generation Learning Standards, school districts are eagerly seeking to incorporate active learning methods into their curriculum to rejuvenate their learning spaces. From revised English Language Arts Learning Standards to Technology Education to STEM initiatives, shifting the method of teaching requires a shift in design. Conceptually, the flexible learning space is based on the simple idea of designating space adjacent to or within a larger, traditional teaching space to encourage small group learning, individual study, or one-on-one interaction. While architects have been developing these types of spaces with education clients for several years now what was being design did not always work as intended and some districts hesitant to develop existing spaces into new flexible learning labs. So how can architects pivot their current design thinking to achieve flexible learning spaces that successfully respond to the many unique programmatic needs within an individual school?
GET WITH THE PROGRAM Starting with programming, we open the dialogue to establish the rules we are using to paint a vision of the future. Gathering information from the users to establish the foundation by which we understand the space we are intended to design. Traditionally, this involves working with the district to establish PAGE 28 | JUNE 2021
Photo Credit: © David Lamb
