Seisho Kaichi Junior and Senior High School, Japan
Seisho Kaichi Junior and Senior High School, a brand new private school in Tottori Prefecture under the aegis of Keimei Gakuen, opened to first grade students in April 2014, with a rolling introduction for student in all grades by April 2016. The site includes a mix of new and repurposed buildings, a feature of which is the use of Steelcase furniture throughout to help create an active learning environment.
To enhance collaboration and sharing, in-between spaces with a library function feature media:scape. In the classrooms, the use of products including Verb enhances interaction and collaboration between students, and also between students and teachers. The mobility, versatility and face-to-face orientation they enable, breaks down traditional barriers in the Japanese classroom, spurring interaction and learning.
In addition, the project architects set out to make the entire campus user-friendly for students, turning in-between spaces in different buildings into multi-use spaces where students can interact, relax, or focus on individual activities. These spaces are used for small class groups, team projects and extra-curricular activities, and clearly break the mold for traditional school buildings and ways of learning, providing spaces for inspired, relaxed and focused learning.