Design for Learning

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.