Studio 5: Kinaesthetic School

The Kinaesthetic School explored the design of an inclusive primary school that supports all bodies and learning abilities through movement, texture, and sensory engagement. The project focused on kinaesthetic and multi-sensory learning, using natural materials, landscaped gardens, and varying spatial thresholds to stimulate sight, sound, smell, touch, and movement. Inspired by the surrounding natural environment, the school created opportunities for students to learn through direct interaction with textures, patterns, and outdoor spaces, promoting agency, collaboration, and focused learning.

The design emphasised flexibility, accessibility, and minimal environmental impact through a modular prefabricated construction system. Classrooms composed of cross-laminated timber panels were fabricated off-site and assembled on-site, allowing for future disassembly and adaptation. Elevated classroom structures minimised disturbance to the existing landscape, while accessible ramps, diverse circulation paths, and varied sensory environments accommodated different learning needs. Organised around a rotated grid layout, the school encouraged movement and interaction between indoor, outdoor, shared, and private learning spaces, creating a socially connected and environmentally responsive educational environment.