Multidisciplinary Danish and Abu Dhabi-based architectural office CEBRA has launched a new research program promoting architecture for lifelong learning, called WISE. WISE is an acronym for "Work, Innovation, Space and Education."

While describing the new initiative, CEBRA explained that "information is all around us – it is in our pocket, on our table and surely it resides in the spaces and environments we spend our everyday life in." 

"We process information through learning and acquire knowledge that becomes useful insights that lead to innovation – and ultimately wise choices. But how does this process affect the way we think and design the built environment? And how does the rapid change in activities related to how we learn and innovate impact the use of space in architecture?"

An ambitious Research and Development program will address these issues and discuss the role of architecture in lifelong learning. The purpose of WISE is to bridge the ongoing and rapid change in the sectors of workspace and education to inform the design of buildings that stimulate learning and innovation. 

Moreover, WISE will connect the ideas of the foremost thinkers of education and entrepreneurship, research and studies in sensory stimuli, cognitive psychology, and behaviorism with architecture. 

"We have to think about innovation as a mindset that copes with change. Of these changes climate changes, resource depletion and technology are those of a larger scale that come to mind," explained founding partner of CEBRA and one of the initiators of WISE, Carsten Primdahl.

WISE interview with Indian education reformer Kiran Bir Sethi, founder of The Riverside School and Design for Change

"In many ways, education and innovation are inextricably linked to these changes. We no longer perceive learning as a limited period where the school prepares us for working life - lifelong learning has become a requisite," added the firm.

This blurs the boundaries between education and work. Schools are becoming working environments and vice versa, workplaces are transforming into learning organizations.

Schools and businesses are mirrors of contemporary society and windows to the future – they are to be built on sustainable values, not only to survive but to thrive. Architecture is key to the solution.

"The goal of WISE is to gain a direct understanding of how our senses are affected by the qualities of architecture – and to use this knowledge to enhance our ability to learn and innovate", clarified Carsten Primdahl and continues: "With WISE, we will be even better at designing architecture that takes into account the complete sensory apparatus".

We design environments that adapt to future thinking and cross-cultural understanding. Our approach to the design is based on the notion that architecture has to be able to adapt to its users – and not the other way around. The organization of such environments regards the diversity of the workflow, activity-based settings, and internal spatial relations. 

With WISE, CEBRA consolidates nearly 20 years of experience within educational and work environments. Through the design of several prestigious projects, the office has deliberately worked with spatial, as well as material-related tools, that support a rich learning experience in very different atmospheres.

WISE is aimed at all organizations, companies, and institutions that deal with the development of knowledge, insight, and wisdom. WISE provides insights to clients and decision makers to support and design future-oriented educational environments and workspaces.

The program is headed by architect Klaudio Muca and CEBRA founder Carsten Primdahl.

All images courtesy of CEBRA

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