At SCVi and iLEAD Schools, we know learning isn’t confined to four walls: it demands creativity, collaboration, and freedom of movement. That’s why we employ open-concept floor plans for our classroom spaces that are designed specifically with kids in mind. We prefer atypical buildings, alternative seating, and round tables that allow students to learn in the way that suits them best. We reject institutional white walls in favor of warm, vibrant colors. And while we do have walls, they’re different, deconstructed, and designed to create fluid areas where our learners can move freely and connect with one another. In short, our unique spaces adapt to our learners, not the other way around.
Our novel approach to classroom design always begins with keeping the end in mind. We have reconstructed what classrooms can look like by basing our designs on concepts like those outlined by The Third Teacher, From the Campfire to the Holodeck, and the Maker Movement, and we draw inspiration from books like I Wish I Worked There! and Make Space. Our goal is to design spaces that are more akin to the modern 21st-century work space than to traditional walled classrooms, and we are committed to creating engaging, safe, and fun environments that facilitate our project-based-learning model. Our design philosophy allows kids to experience learning in safe and interactive spaces that foster curiosity, problem-solving, creativity, synergy, and critical thinking.
We believe in the concept of differentiation. As Ignacio Estrada once said, “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” Our flexible approach and growth mind-set compel us to create spaces that adapt to our learners’ needs and allow them to explore their tribe, village, community, and world.
