Great Spaces in Education | Modern K-12 School Designs

Great spaces in education are designed and outfitted with some of the critical tools and technology faculty and students need to help them excel both in and out of the classroom.

And modern K-12 school designs don’t look like they used to! Gone are the days of rows of uncomfortable wooden desks all facing the same direction in every class. Today’s education environments include a variety of zones set apart for specific learning activities, like a media table for utilizing online resources, a series of maker tables for hands-on learning, and soft seating areas for independent reading.

Here’s some inspiration to help you and your organization design and outfit your public or private K-12 school for the wellbeing and future success of your faculty, administration, students, and community.

The Classroom

Flexibility is key in the modern classroom. Having furniture products on hand that can be easily rearranged to support different types of work makes it easy for teachers to quickly adjust the layout of their spaces to prepare for the next project, test, or group activity. Many education furniture manufacturers offer light-weight student seating and desk or table options that can move about effortlessly with built in casters or by just sliding them into place. Mobile teacher’s desks, media options, and erasable writing surfaces make classrooms more flexible than ever. This flexibility keeps things fresh and new, encouraging new perspectives, greater creativity, and better problem solving.

The Makerspace

With increasing emphasis on STEAM education, makerspaces have become a fixture in modern K-12 school designs. These spaces require worksurfaces and seating that are easy to clean and can withstand heavy use. Adequate and varied storage options are also important for organizing safety equipment, tools, art supplies, completed projects, and more. Having makerspace furniture in the learning environment opens the door for innovation and growth for students and more engaging and interactive lesson options for teachers.

The Library

While libraries still have plenty of shelves lined with books covering many genres and subjects, there is a growing emphasis on incorporating technology into these spaces. It might be a 3D printer, media tables, or a section lined with state-of-the-art tablets. Well-designed libraries will have adequate worksurfaces and shelf space for all of these different learning tools that are easy to access and to organize, maintain, and expand. Of course, the right kind of seating is also important, so that students and faculty who use the space can find a spot suited for the type of work they need to accomplish. A combination of soft seating, tables, chairs and stools, and media tables can provide adequate options to support different types of learning. Crafting an inspiring space for discovery can help students grow in knowledge and understanding beyond what they might experience in a standard classroom setting.

The Cafeteria

While cafeterias will always need tables and chairs that are easy to move and clean, there are so many fun design options that can make your school’s lunch area unique and inviting, both for indoor and outdoor dining. Whether it is selecting a variety of colors for your seating, having your mascot custom-printed on the furniture, or designing creative acoustical panels with fun shapes and patterns that do double duty as artwork and noise control, the options are endless!

Ready to Craft Your Own Great Spaces in Education?

Do you feel inspired to kick off your next Modern K-12 school design project? Remember, to bring great spaces in education to life, you need the right team of experts to help make it happen. At Benjamin Roberts, we provide furniture and architectural products design, sales, warehousing, installation, project management services, and more to help local schools accomplish their construction or remodeling project goals. If you’re in the Central or South-Eastern Pennsylvania region, contact us to learn more, today!