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Ørestad High School

The school is designed by 3xN, the architect that won an international competition for the new Museum of Liverpool, currently under construction. It is the first to be created in response to Denmark’s educational reforms, which set out to encourage more interdisciplinary, dynamic learning, based increasingly on IT. Consequently, the educational vision behind the building is of communication, interaction and synergy. The architect has provided a range of spaces that offer students the options of learning in conventional classes, in larger assemblies or alone, when they can flop down on the beanbags with their laptops. At the same time, the open-plan arrangement enables different teaching and learning spaces to overlap and interact without obstruction.

This, the school hopes, will foster a community spirit and encourage interdisciplinary learning. But as deputy head Lisbeth Maria Hansen admits, it also demands a learning curve from the students, who start off feeling at a loss at being left to their own devices for much of the school day.

Read more: http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3116036#ixzz0Mm5fnnT6