A visionary interior design to spark creativity and inspire greater learning outcomes

Part of the Dunfermline Learning Campus masterplan, the building brings together Woodmill High School and St Columba’s RC High School under one roof. Carefully designed interiors ensure both schools can operate independently while maintaining their own distinct identities.

Drawing inspiration from Fife’s natural beauty

Our visionary interior design draws on the soft blues and greens of Dunfermline’s surrounding landscape, including the Pentland Hills, the Firth of Forth and Dunfermline City Chambers.

This connection to local landmarks instills a sense of place while creating calming and subtle internal spaces that are anything but plain.

Hear from Jenny below as she explores more of the interior design strategy and how this came together in shaping the school to what it is today.

An intuitive wayfinding strategy

Part of our brief from Fife Council was to use colour as a wayfinding tool. By implementing a ‘colour scheme by faculty’ approach, different areas of the school were visually distinguished to help staff and students navigate seamlessly.

For example, STEM subjects feature a sky blue colour scheme, while languages and humanities are marked by a dark blue palette, creating a sense of arrival in each area.

To ensure that shared spaces like the main reception and dining hall avoided clashing colours, we developed a cohesive palette inspired by Dunfermline’s natural surroundings. This helped to tie the whole building together while celebrating the unique identity of each school.

Crafting a calming atmosphere

Our design approach places human health and wellbeing at the forefront, guided by the principles of the WELL Building Standard. As a WELL-accredited professional, Jenny highlights the emphasis on maximising natural light to enhance productivity and create a strong connection to nature, benefiting both pupils and staff.

Our focus is on creating distraction-free, comfortable environments that boost alertness and productivity while ensuring inclusivity through thoughtful design, such as maintaining clear contrasts between surfaces for accessibility.

The UK’s largest Passivhaus education building, Woodmill and St Columba’s RC High School inspires exceptional learning and nurtures future talent. Discover more here.

Learn more about our imaginative, exceptional interiors that transform the life of a place here.