The Most Beautiful and Imaginative Public Schools in the World

Albert Einstein, responsible for the world’s most famous equation and quite possibly the smartest man to ever live, said that “logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” With that in mind, surely a child’s imagination is something to cherish and nourish. Enter the public school system. For years public education has been known for its never-ending, claustrophobic hallways and rows of greige lockers, made famous by all of our favorite teen dramas from The Wonder Years to My So-Called Life.

Architects and local governments around the world are now fighting the good fight against dismal, uninspiring schools and the groundbreaking results are re-shaping the learning experience for our future generations. From a colorful kindergarten in Slovenia made out of toy planks that lets kids play with and manipulate their environment to a high school breeding a new generation of environmentalists, click through to check out the future of a free education. Let us know about any remarkable projects we’ve missed, or nominate your school in the comments below!

Kindergarten Kekec by Arhitektura Jure Kotnik — Ljubljana, Slovenia

Image credit: Miran Kambič via House Variety

An extension of a typical Slovenian prefab kindergarten from the ’80s, the colorful, interactive design is a response to the school’s lack of play equipment. The addition’s three exterior walls are made of “toy slats”: natural wooden planks that the kids can play with to “get to know different colors, experience wood as a natural material and constantly change the appearance of their kindergarten, all at the same time.”

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none in the usa. another case like our healthcare system where we pay too much and receive too little.

a common theme seems to be light and colour. I could imagine that teaching in these schools would be inspiring too. How could you fail to inspire your learners in environments like these.

cedar bridge school in Lumby, British Columbia, Canada, a truly, stunning school built with trees felled from the farm on which it stands,highly recommended viewing

Thanks, Many good ideas as we begin work on updating our site.

Really praiseworthy buildings. Thank you!

Only Americans consider the USA a superpower- nobody else does.

Check out this adorable, cat shaped preschool: Die Katze, Wolfartsweier, Germany http://www.milkmagazine.net/reportage-lecole-chat-allemagne/

You need to see the new North Atlanta High School of the Atlanta Public Schools! http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/Page/21568

Lovely list- and I can't argue-- I am happy to be a teacher at LA #9 Visual and Performing Arts High.

Photos like these make me despair at how architecturally conservative the U.S. is.

My daughter's school in Los Angeles,CA is on this list and I have to say it is an amazing structure. When picking her up many times I have seen from regular tourists to full tour buses pull up to take pictures. My child LOVES her school and funny enough it has very little to do with what it looks like. They have an amazing music program which she LOVES and the entire athmosphere there is great. To have these kids look forward to end of summer and going back to school says alot. Being a LAUSD school and with all the issues surrounding the district, I have to say that I wouldn't have her in any other school.

They say that school environment has an effect on learning. It would be great to run studies on these sites~

www.innovatemanhattancharterschool.org

If my school was this beautiful, I would've probably became an artist, I buried my talents with my old freaking school... Anw guys if you want to see some crazy designs check this http://www.katagogi.com/aida178813_1112229869_108564

colegiogloriafuertes.es

Amazing... I would like to be a kid again :)

I think Zaha Hadid's Evelyn Grace Academy (www.evelyngraceacademy.org) in Brixton, London, is also worth mentioning.

I have to nominate my intermediate school, C.V. Starr Intermediate in Brewster, NY. http://www.dmrarchitects.com/portfolio/Portfolio.php??C.V.-Starr-Intermediate-School-4 It may be biased, but i was one of the first classes to enter and graduate from this intermediate (4-5th grade) school. The contemporary, colorful architecture still sticks in my mind today. Making the building a new and cool, but still a relatable place to attend class. My favorite features were the huge windows, and comfortable bleacher seating in the library. The star layout of the lobby is a bit predictable considering the name of the school. But still a nice touch, providing easy navigation through the building.

And what of the Bamboo Architecture Green School? ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMdUQyezgBg

Addition to this great list is the Druk White Lotus school in Ladakh (NW India) -- an awesome remote hand-built sustainable school. http://www.dwls.org/

@Cynthia, there are a couple USA public schools on the list. In Pamona and Los Angeles.

These are wonderful buildings. It's so inspiring to think of the thought and care that has gone into providing these schools.

How sad that there's not a single U.S. public school in the bunch. Most are in Europe (France seems to have the highest #), but some are in impoverished, 'third world' countries like Cambodia. And yet we consider ourselves a democracy and a 'super power'? Shame on the USA.

Gorgeous. Design at it's best. The pictures are gorgeous, too.

It really shows what can happen when society values its education. I'm sure many great Architects and Designers will come out of these schools. Truly wonderful. :)

There's no 'u' in Colombia sorry, pet peeve).

The Bridge Academy in Hackney, London, is an incredibly inspiring secondary school: http://openbuildings.com/buildings/the-bridge-academy-profile-2382/media

Beautiful - only wish my school had been so inspiring. Would also add Gjerdrum highschool in Norway to the list: http://plusmood.com/2009/10/gjerdrum-secondary-school-kristin-jarmund-architects/