There are many different styles of learning, and this school in Port, Switzerland, which was designed by Skop, aims to foster as many of those styles as possible. The school's design references the surrounding Jura Mountains, figuratively encouraging the students there to learn through experiencing the environment as well as through the books in their classrooms.
Skop's school in Port has a jagged, angular roof structure that's reminiscent of the Jura peaks visible at the edges of town. The pitched, folded design of the school's roof is also a direct reference to the historical design of many of the surrounding houses, further tying the educational practices of the town to its tradition as a whole.
Mountainous School Designs
Skop's School Design References the Surrounding Environment
Trend Themes
1. Nature-inspired School Designs - The trend of using natural surroundings as inspiration for school designs presents opportunities for educational institutions to create immersive and engaging environments for students, while maintaining a connection to the surrounding ecosystem.
2. Multi-sensory Learning Environments - The trend of designing schools to encourage learning through experiencing the environment presents opportunities to create multi-sensory learning environments that engage students in a variety of ways, from visual and tactile to auditory and olfactory.
3. Sustainable School Design - The trend of designing schools with reference to the surrounding environment presents opportunities to create ecologically sustainable buildings that reduce their impact on the ecosystem and set an example for future sustainable construction projects.
Industry Implications
1. Education - The education industry has an opportunity to create innovative, immersive and sustainable learning environments that foster multiple styles of learning, keep students engaged and create a deeper connection to the surrounding ecosystem.
2. Architecture - The architecture industry has an opportunity to incorporate natural references into school designs to create buildings that are not only visually striking, but also promote environmentally sustainable construction practices.
3. Sustainability - The sustainability industry has an opportunity to partner with educational institutions to design ecologically sustainable schools that serve as examples for future sustainable construction projects, while providing healthy learning environments for students.