Prakash Nair, President and co-founder of Fielding Nair International (http://www.fieldingnair.com/home.aspx) is a leading authority in the area of 21st century school planning and educational technology. His writings about school design and its connection to educational research have been widely published, and in 2005 he co-authored with his partner, Randall Fielding, the landmark publication The Language of School Design.
Nair has worked with educational jurisdictions across Australia, advising on cutting edge school infrastructure projects. The following interview with Prakash Nair was recorded in 2005 during a consultancy with the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
For more information see: Fielding Nair International (http://fieldingnair.com)
The design of new schools - what will they look like in 30 years? (WMV - 1.4Mb) video duration - 42sec, download time - 50sec
What will be the role of educators (principals and teachers) in designing schools? (WMV - 1.4Mb) video duration - 44sec, download time - 55min
What facilities do you envisage would support the learning process in schools in the future? (WMV - 1.7Mb) video duration - 55sec, download time - 1min
What is the role of the community in schools in the future? (WMV - 1.3Mb) video duration - 40sec, download time - 50sec
How can a community maximise the benefits of a new school design within cost constraints? (WMV - 1.9Mb) video duration - 1.03min, download time - 1:15min
What sort of research based work impacts on school design? (WMV - 1.5Mb) video duration - 48sec, download time - 55sec
Tell us about how student safety impacts on school design? (WMV - 1.6Mb) video duration - 53sec, download time - 1min
Prakash talks about the concept of a 'shell' and a 'standardised design' for schools that can be flexible enough to meet the needs of community members in the future. It is better to under design than over design a school. (WMV - 1.3Mb) video duration - 43sec, download time - 50sec
How can school communities redesign existing buildings to get the maximum benefits for future education incorporating and creating areas to cater for the modalities of learning? (WMV - 2.0Mb) video duration - 1.03min, download time - 1:10min
Tell us about the sustainable future enquiry centre you have designed? (WMV - 2.1Mb) video duration - 1.09min, download time - 1:20.min
Tell us how the instrument you have devised to assist with school design works? (WMV - 2.3Mb) video duration - 1.09min, download time - 1:20min
What are the features of a new school design? (WMV - 2.9Mb) video duration - 1:10min, download time - 1:20min
Who are the stakeholders in creating a sustainable school design for future education? (WMV - 3.3Mb) video duration - 1:35min, download time - 1:45min
What is the most rewarding part of your work? (WMV - 1.6Mb) video duration - 52sec, download time - 1min
Download full transcript of interview with Prakash Nair (PDF - 35Kb)