Australian innovators in architecture, Fuse, have partnered with Kingdom Culture Christian School (KCCS) to build a revolutionary school for future entrepreneurs—the first of its kind.
Boasting state-of-the-art amenities and underlying design principles one would usually find at Google or Apple HQ, the new building will further empower students with the strength and vision to influence the world beyond their means.
Under the guiding principles of the three c’s – Creativity, Collaboration & Critical thinking – students will have access to multiple breakout spaces, smart classrooms, open-plan learning spaces and an inspiration domain to better learn about the great entrepreneurs of the world, past and present.
Ben Irawan, founder of Kingdom Culture Christian school says that the school is ahead of its time and that the major new addition to the building will help bring the world the next big entrepreneurs.
“Some research shows that up to 30% of jobs and will be filled through automation and the like over the next 10-15 years,” Irawan said.
“So, we need to think about education differently, preparing children not for tests but for the real world – a world that even we adults don’t fully grasp due to rapid technological changes.”
Irawan said the school focuses on crucial skills such as public speaking, entrepreneurial thinking, collaboration, critical thinking and investment management.
“Every morning a student will come to school and take part in a ‘job’ in order to earn KCCS dollars, be it tidying up part of the classroom or closing the blinds,” he said.
“Students can even be promoted to teacher’s aide through hard work and initiative, just like in the real world.”
At the end of the week, students can ‘bank’ their hard-earned money or spend it at the shop on snacks, cool drinks or even toys, said Irawan.
“Thanks to a curriculum and school building that truly helps students understand how the real-world works, who knows, maybe the next Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos will be a graduate of Kingdom Culture Christian School,” he said.
Director of Fuse Architecture, Rachid Andary, says that fun, experiential spaces made to inspire should not be exclusive to the start-ups and tech-giants of the world and that the Australian schooling system as a whole needs a major shakeup:
“Just as it increases productivity and overall happiness at somewhere like Google, social and informal learning spaces that encourage sharing and collaboration is key to nurturing a curious and productive mind,” Andary said.
“We need to get out of the shadow of the industrial school model and start thinking about what is best for the kids of today.”
The various spaces and elements within the first-of-its-kind school are designed with collaboration in mind.
In opposition to an outdated classroom format still in practice in Australia, Fuse has ensured each learning space is layered with a deliberate learning intent. On top of this, the school boasts flexible floorplates to facilitate quick and easy layout changes, no matter the learning occasion—just like a modern-day workplace.
“KCCS is student-centric and so we put learning at the centre of every design decision. In alignment with the school's values, we set out to design a place where children are encouraged to look at the world and its needs critically, to find a way to meet that need and in turn allow them to fulfil their potential,” he added.
The new school building is set to be completed in the second half of 2020. Enrolments are open now for Kingdom Culture Christian School.