Budding designers turn dream classroom into reality

At Xingnan Primary School, some of its pupils partnered industry experts to design a learning space

- Jane Ng

A group of pupils at Xingnan Primary School in Jurong West helped to design a multi-purpose room in their school, something which even most adults might not have done before. They worked with coaches to turn their sketches into reality, learning lessons beyond the classroom in the process.

When the school leadership wanted to redesign an empty classroom with a sustainability theme, it approached Ms Sim Shoo Shyuan to tap her team's expertise. She is the co-founder and director of The Possible Class, a firm that conducts design and architecture workshops.

Ms Sim mooted the idea of getting pupils to design the space with her team's guidance. "Even though designing it ourselves is a faster process, it is more meaningful for the space to be designed by the students, for the students," she says.

As part of its applied learning programme, a group of 13 upper-primary student leaders was invited to envision and design the learning space.

The pupils first surveyed their schoolmates on their needs and wish lists. Then, over two months in 2024, Ms Sim's team of four coaches guided the pupils via four workshops. The former architects and interior designers adapted their professional tools and methods for the children.

Through the process, the kids learnt design thinking, how to balance style and function, mood-boarding and how to use digital modelling software to visualise and communicate their ideas.

The school heads and teachers then offered feedback and played the role of real-world clients.

Xingnan Primary's vice-principal Ang Hwee Loo says the school believes in empowering its pupils.

"The aim was to connect classroom learning with real-world contexts, while challenging students to solve authentic problems," she says.