Beyond consultation in learning environment design
Here's the uncomfortable truth: normal space masterplans don't transform learning
A typical facilities masterplan might have a deadline of 12 weeks' production. There is a limit to how much educators and students can interrogate why they teach and learn the way they do today. There's even less chance that they'll be able to immerse in possibilities for changing that significantly.
At NoTosh, our skilled teams of educators and architects work together to design the whole learning experience, and create the kind of space that will stretch practice for years to come. When you're making such a significant investment already, we believe it's worth investing in the people using it.
Educators and students don't know what they don't know
Traditionally, architects and facility planners design learning environments with community consultation. But that consultation comes too late in the day. It assumes those answering the questions about learning and teaching have had the time to explore and think through all the answers.
But that's a huge assumption. Schools are busy places of constant improvement. But educators rarely have the 'white space' to reflect, and work out what practices they want to keep. Very few educators have the time and opportunity to explore their practice, and see provocations that can stretch their practice into areas they didn't even know they didn't know about.
That's what NoTosh does.
We push boundaries so architects can draw them.
Our award-winning collaborative planning process turns your dreams and your budget into a different kind of design brief for your architect partner, one that can increase the speed, sensitivity and responsiveness of their work. The result is a learning environment as unique as you are.
We listen to see where you're at.
We push and provoke with ideas you've not seen before.
We help you make connections to what will work best for you.
We pull it all together into a fresh brief, or RFP, for the architect: the "Dear Architect..." book.
We win awards. We create concrete impact on the learning experience. We inspire the educators and broader community so that they're already operating in new ways before the first sketch is drawn.
2022: WINNER
Kelly Tanner Award Innovation Award: Best New Initiative
Association for Learning Environments, International Awards, NoTosh and EIW Architects. Project: Nanjing International Award, Nanjing, China.
2021: WINNER
Construction over $8M
Learning Environments Australasia, NoTosh and EIW Architects. Project: Iona Presentation College, Perth, Australia.
2020 WINNER
Renovation / Modernisation under $5 MILLION
Learning Environments Australasia, in partnership with EIW Architects. Project: Nanjing International School Early Years and Hub, Nanjing, China.
2020 COMMENDATION
Innovation in Education Initiative
Learning Environments Australasia, in partnership with Department for Education, South Australia. Research-informed approaches to STEAM, Project: What Works for STEM Works.
