ABSTRACT
These variously linear, discrete and hub structures show that wider, more generously conceived communities of learning are achievable – and, moreover, that the scale of the ambition is not linked to the scale of the project. The Xiashi Bridge links two halves of a small village, Hume and Dumfries are learning towns, Nexus makes learning the centre of an entire city learning landscape. The move is conceptual, not to do with scale: but it does require a change of mindset, in which individual, community and societal benefits are balanced to produce increased efficiency, effectiveness, happiness and lifelong learning. For the owner, benefits are better use of the resource, whether it is a church hall, a university or an office development.
