Useful Studio were commissioned to design a lean structure for educational purposes. Drawing inspiration from local typologies, the shed design with a portal-frame structure offers a simple, robust, and cost-effective solution for both practical and classroom-based learning.

The key ambition was to create a highly adaptable, low-carbon structure that could accommodate a wide range of educational activities - from formal teaching spaces to informal workshops and breakout areas - while remaining affordable, quick to construct, and the opportunity to be reconfigured over time.

The design is comprised of a kit-of-parts system, minimising the number of components required to construct the building. This approach reduces embodied carbon, simplifies logistics, and lowers overall construction costs. The lean structural frames are based on a grid, which allows internal spaces to be subdivided into classrooms, offices, or breakout zones - or left open for workshops or circulation.

Materials and finishes are deliberately minimal, enhancing the structure's longevity and supporting a circular design ethos. The shed system forms a flexible, lean learning environment that prioritises adaptability, sustainability, and wellbeing.