ORF-E
English
1 x 40 min

From the primary school in the countryside to the educational campus in the big city – numerous outstanding buildings for teaching children and young people have sprung up in Austria in the last ten years. In these innovative learning environments, pupils experience and learn social skills in addition to their lessons, often on a full-day basis. The new teaching methods and the move away from front-of-the-class teaching towards freestyle learning in small groups mean that the school architecture requires a rethink as well: Space comes into play as a third educator. Natural and sustainable materials such as wood and transparent classrooms with lots of daylight ensure an optimal learning environment. In Nicola Eller’s film, pupils from all over Austria show us how they learn and live within this architecture. They take us into their project groups, let us participate in theater performances, and observe activities such as planting raised beds. The teachers and experts who are working together to bring school construction into the 21st century tell us about the interplay between architecture and education.