Designing spaces for belonging, agency and growth
Iona Presentation College, Australia
Why this project mattered
Iona Presentation College wanted its learning environments to more clearly reflect its values around care, community and student growth. While teaching and pastoral relationships were strong, the physical environment did not always support the kinds of interaction, independence and collaboration the school hoped to nurture.
The College asked NoTosh to help explore how space could better reinforce belonging, confidence and contemporary learning practice.
Challenge and context: strong culture, spaces lagging behind practice
Across the campus, learning spaces reflected different eras of design, each carrying assumptions about how students should learn and how teachers should teach. Some environments supported interaction and flexibility, while others unintentionally reinforced passive or teacher-led routines.
Leaders recognised that without a clearer spatial intent, the environment could undermine the relational and learner-centred culture that defined Iona’s educational approach.
Insight and approach: aligning space with relationships and learning
We explored how students experienced the school day, focusing on moments of connection, transition and independence. This revealed that spaces play a powerful role in shaping how safe, confident and visible students feel.
- Belonging is strengthened when students can gather, move and collaborate naturally
- Learning benefits from spaces that balance structure with choice
- Visibility and connection support wellbeing and positive relationships
- Environments should encourage agency without sacrificing clarity or care
These insights shaped a design approach that treated space as a partner in Iona’s pastoral and learning mission.
By grounding decisions in student experience, the work focused on environments that support both academic and personal growth.
“NoTosh’s process gave us the confidence to try new things and push the boundaries.”
Philip Idle, EIW Architects
Co-design and engagement: listening to student and staff voice
We worked closely with students, teachers and leaders to understand how different spaces were experienced and where change would be most meaningful. Workshops and conversations created space for honest reflection on what supported learning and wellbeing, and what created barriers. This collaborative process ensured that emerging ideas felt authentic to Iona’s culture and achievable within its context.
Outcomes and impact: spaces that reinforce belonging and confidence
The project resulted in a clearer, more intentional approach to shaping learning environments across the College. This enabled:
- Learning spaces that better support interaction, agency and care
- Greater confidence among teachers to use space flexibly
- Stronger alignment between environment, wellbeing and pedagogy
- A shared framework for future refurbishment and development
Iona Presentation College now has a clearer foundation for evolving its campus in ways that strengthen belonging, support learning and reflect its values.
