Joined Up Design for Schools

What if you put pupils in charge of improving their schools? This book tells the story of how a charity joined up schoolchildren from all over Britain with some of the best designers in the world and did just that.
The pupils were the clients, commissioning a dazzling array of international designers and architects, including Richard Rogers Partnership, Paul Smith, Will Alsop, Marks Barfield, Thomas Heatherwick, Wolff Olins, Seymourpowell, Conran & Partners, Priestman Goode and Kevin McCloud. They were briefed to design inspiring learning and social spaces; more civilized dinner halls and canteens; safer, more hygienic toilets; good communications; new storage systems; better uniforms and to improve schools' reputations and identities. During the process, the pupils discovered a host of new skills, the sort of skills employers are crying out for, such as problem-solving, reasoning, teamworking, communication, negotiation, citizenship and self-belief.
This book describes in detail how the results of this pioneering collaboration could change our schools for the future.

John and Frances Sorrell co-chair The Sorrell Foundation, established to inspire creativity in young people and improve the quality of life through good design. John founded and chairs the London Design Festival and chaired the Design Council from 1994 to 2000. Frances was co-chair and creative director of Newell & Sorrell (later Interbrand Newell & Sorrell) and led the company to over one hundred design awards over twenty-five years.