At Stanton Dahl Architects, we believe a well-designed school is more than a functional facility. It’s a place that nurtures identity, supports curiosity, builds community, and prepares students for life. Drawing on over 19 years of experience in education design, Principal Caroline Hart shares what makes a school design truly successful and why a clear vision matters from the outset.
Designing with strategic purpose
Independent schools today operate in a highly competitive landscape. To thrive, they must clearly articulate their purpose and ensure that every part of the school environment reinforces it. That starts with a shared vision and a design process that translates that vision into built form.
“Our work focuses on four key pillars: identity, learning, community, and feasibility,” says Caroline. “If you want a successful outcome, you need to truly understand the needs of this particular institution in this particular environment and locality.”
Each school’s journey is different. A rapidly growing Christian school in regional NSW will have different needs than a metropolitan school with a stable enrolment. Understanding those needs, whether educational, spiritual, cultural or operational, is key to creating spaces that reflect and enable the school’s mission.
Identity and community
A school isn’t just a place for education. It’s a place where students find belonging, form values, and grow.
Schools like Wellington Christian School serve diverse communities where the school becomes a hub of support and stability. Others, like Dubbo Christian School, reflect the aspirations of growing regional families while staying grounded in their faith-based foundations.
“A school is more than just a place where you get educated,” Caroline says. “Sometimes, it is a safe haven. It is a place to belong.”
Architecture plays a vital role in shaping this sense of belonging. From entry points to gathering spaces, design can either create welcome and connection or hinder it.
Image: Dubbo Christian School
Function, Flow, and Joy
Successful school environments blend form and function. They are places of joy as much as practicality. Natural light, flexible learning areas, intuitive wayfinding, and connections to the outdoors all enhance student experience.
“Navigation and visual connection are so important,” Caroline notes. “Reducing anxiety and creating delight is all part of helping students flourish.”
At Patrician Brothers College Blacktown, Stanton Dahl’s work has created a sense of pride and ownership among students and staff. “If you invest well in a community, that community will respond,” Caroline reflects.
Inspiring achievement
Spaces that celebrate student work and make learning visible are powerful motivators. Corridors that showcase art, music rooms with glass walls, and gallery-like hubs allow students to see what’s possible and imagine themselves achieving it.
At Caroline Chisholm College, Stanton Dahl designed a learning nexus that celebrates student achievements, encourages curiosity, and invites participation.
“When students see their work valued, it tells them: you matter here. What you do matters.”
Image: Caroline Chisholm College
Designing for flexibility
Educational practice is always evolving. The learning spaces that support it must do the same. Flexible learning zones and adaptable classrooms allow teachers to shift between modes of teaching and learning with ease. Co-locating related subjects such as science, agriculture, and food technology encourages collaboration and project-based learning.
Future-proofing is not about predicting the future. It is about designing for change and enabling agility and adaptability.
Planning for growth
A masterplan helps schools think strategically about growth. It is not just about staging buildings. It is about aligning space with mission, growth and change.
At Thomas Hassall Anglican College, long-term planning enabled the school to grow in line with enrolment demand while maintaining its educational philosophy. At Dubbo Christian School, early strategic engagement helped the leadership team think differently about what was possible on their site, unlocking new opportunities.
“Masterplanning isn’t just a box to tick,” Caroline says. “It’s a tool for stewardship, for ensuring every investment contributes to the mission of the school.”
Our design approach
With more than four decades of experience in school design, Stanton Dahl brings more than technical expertise. We bring partnership. We ask the questions others may not. We help identify connections between disciplines, create spaces that reflect culture, and bring communities into the process. Every project is a collaboration.
“Good design starts with listening,” Caroline says. “Our goal is always the same: to help schools translate their vision into environments that shape lives.”
Image: Thomas Hassall Anglican College
Looking Ahead
Every school has a story. Great design helps that story unfold. From small rural campuses to large urban schools, our role is to help education communities create places of purpose, belonging, and growth.
If your school is planning for the future, we’d love to walk alongside you. Let’s shape the next chapter together.
For more information on our approach to strategic campus masterplanning, watch our webinar Viable by design: A Strategic approach to financial and campus masterplanning for schools.