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Design for Learning
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02 November 2026
Around the world, schools are investing billions in the design and construction of learning environments that reflect contemporary developments in educational and architectural thinking. Yet the knowledge that informs these investments, spanning across research, policy, and industry practice, often remains fragmented. Insights from across these spheres are frequently developed and applied in isolation, limiting our collective capacity to understand how learning environments shape student experience and outcomes.
Designing for Learning addresses this disconnect by foregrounding the interdisciplinary relationships between research, policy, and industry. Bringing together perspectives from educational research, design practice, systems policy, and professional expertise, the book positions learning environments as the product of dynamic interactions across these domains. The chapters illustrate how research evidence, regulatory frameworks, and industry innovation intersect to influence the planning, design, and enactment of educational spaces.
Through a rich combination of empirical research, policy analysis, and real-world case studies, Designing for Learning offers a comprehensive framework for creating inclusive, effective, and future-oriented learning environments. It explores how flexible spatial design, pedagogical intent, policy settings, and design practices can be aligned to support diverse learner needs.
By making explicit the contributions and interdependencies of research, policy, and industry, this volume demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to more coherent, responsive, and impactful learning environments. It is an essential resource for educators, researchers, policymakers, designers, and industry professionals seeking to move beyond siloed approaches and toward integrated solutions that are not only functional but also transformative, inspiring, and inclusive.
Marian Mahat is Associate Professor of Learning Environments in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Richard Leonard, LFRAIA, is an Architect and Principal of Hayball, an Australian architecture practice with offices in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.
Introduction
Chapter 1. A Holistic and Nuanced Approach to School Learning Environments: Setting the Scene; Marian Mahat and Richard Leonard
Policy Perspectives
Chapter 2. Building for Impact: An Approach to Strengthen the Impact of Education Infrastructure Investments on Learning; Yael Duthilleul
Chapter 3. Education Meets Architecture: An Interdisciplinary Approach; Meike Kricke and Barbara Pampe
Chapter 4. Implementing Innovative Spaces from Research to Reality; Raechel French and Sloan McLain
Academic/Research Perspectives
Chapter 5. Towards More Caring Learning Environments: Teacher-Mediated Relations of Space, Pedagogy, and Indoor Climate; Bodil Hovaldt Bøjer and Lisa Rosén Rasmussen
Chapter 6. A Holistic Model of Inclusion for Innovative Learning Environments; Erfan Heidari
Industry Perspectives
Chapter 7. Learning Environments in Flux: Designing through User Engagement; Patrick Siah, Florian Olive, and Wan Nabilah
Chapter 8. Living, Learning and Inspiring: Education Space Acoustics; Amanda Robinson and Matthew Ottley
School/Institutional Perspectives
Chapter 9. From Disciplines to Ecosystems: Reimagining Learning through Transdisciplinary Practice; Stephen Harris
Chapter 10. Designing Responsive Learning Environments: Case Studies from Australia Linking Theory and Practice; Julia Atkin and Jill Laughlin
Chapter 11. Organizational Strategies for Learning Space Innovation: A Case Study from Oregon Tech, United States; Sharon Beaudry
Conclusion
Chapter 12. Forward Thinking: Setting an Agenda for Collaboration; Richard Leonard and Marian Mahat