FLEXIBLE / ADAPTIVE STUDY AREAS

"How do we intertwine people, place and nature to create a place for memory, experience and growth?"

Let's ask nature...

UWCSEA DOVER MOVES TO TENGAH!

UWCSEA Dover will be relocating to Tengah in 2032, creating an opportunity to reimagine how a campus can serve both people and the planet. Your challenge is to design one specific area of the new campus (stated below) so that it strengthens community connections and deepens our relationship with nature.

Your design must draw on biomimicry—learning from and applying strategies found in the natural world as a way to achieve both sustainability and a sense of belonging. Think about how your space can bring people together, nurture wellbeing, and reduce environmental impact, while taking inspiration from how living systems solve problems.

Site specific information such as location, size, etc are linked below.

VIEW SITE-SPECIFIC INFO HERE

"Historically, we have designed buildings and structures to resist nature - to keep it out. We don't consider how we blend, how we embrace and coexist. We’re the only species that does this. We need to look at building in a new way, not look at it in an old way with new materials or processes.

There is no such thing as waste in nature - no such this as unemployment. Everything has a job."

Q.How can we redesign our study areas to let nature in, not out. How do we harness and utilise nature's ability to morph and cocoon, giving it a job....?

CHALLENGE-SPECIFIC STATEMENT

Learning happens everywhere, not just in classrooms. Spaces should adapt for groups, quiet work, or full classes. Design flexible study environments that allow students to work individually or collaboratively, indoors or outdoors, and adapt to changing needs throughout the day.

YOUR DESIGN SHOULD:

Support both quiet study and collaborative teamwork.
Be adaptable—furniture or layouts that change with use.
Maximise natural light and reduce noise.
Connect indoor and outdoor learning environments.
Use sustainable, durable, and student-friendly materials.
Foster a sense of comfort and belonging.

"Can we create biomorphic spaces that shape-shift as needs dictate? Could these shift not only with demand, but the seasons?"

POSSIBLE RESEARCH STARTING POINTS

AskNature: Bees (modular honeycomb structures), octopus camouflage (adaptability to context), fungal networks (flexible connections).
Inspiration: adaptable shells (hermit crabs), folding wings (butterflies).

UN SDG LINKS: [4] Quality Education + [12] Responsible Consumption & Production