ABSTRACT
The author introduces the value of student voice in school design, extending his beliefs in the power of student voice in education generally. He demonstrates through international examples of collaboration that student voice in school design can result in far more than attractive and child-friendly learning spaces. The author attempts to draw out principles to inform the work of those responsible for the design of environments in which children develop their educational and, to a great extent, their social identities and capacities. While children were encouraged to be creative and imaginative in drawing and describing their concepts, their submissions varied widely from basic floor plans of more or less traditional school buildings to flights of fantasy. In all the UK and Australian studies, the children's requirements of their learning environments were surprisingly similar, regardless of climate: natural light and natural ventilation, under student control; outdoor learning, rest and meditation places.
