Williams + Paddon’s Commitment to 21st Century Learning

In today’s world, it’s become more evident that true learning happens everywhere—inside, outside, and in all the nooks and crannies in between.

Williams + Paddon supports this by developing 21st Century Learning Environments that are extremely adaptive—where a hallway may serve as a gallery or stage, and an outdoor plaza can be as a classroom.

These environments are collaborative—information is not just obtained and mastered, but also shared, reflected upon and added on to—utilizing the careful integration of technology, equipment and mobile furnishings that allow spaces to be both comfortable and flexible. We design a multitude of spaces for the various ways in which people learn—balancing traditional lecture halls with more private environments as well as a more spontaneous, collaborative environments.

In addition, we understand that educational facilities that closely mimic the real world (such as career technical education space) can be more compelling and relevant than static or standard spaces. We work hard to weave our knowledge of commercial, civic and hospitality design into the educational environment; thus creating real workplaces and dynamic environments that people seek out to be educated within.

In creating 21st Century Learning Environments, our incorporation of sustainable practices is vital. In addition to directly translating into cost savings for long-term facilities maintenance, sustainable design improves occupant comfort, indoor air quality, access to daylight and views, and the overall relationship between indoor and outdoor space. These elements have been shown to impact the long-term operational budget through the improvement of the health and well-being of employees, reductions in absenteeism and improvements in productivity. And just as this premise is logical when it comes to working adults, all the more it makes sense when it comes to children and young adults who need to be able to focus in order to learn—they can apply themselves most effectively to learning if their environment is appropriate, comfortable and not distracting.