Design standards for Queensland Government education facilities - Version 6.0 - Design standards overview

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Fez

December 2025 Version 6.0 sets out design standards for Queensland Government education facilities. It provides governing design principles aligned to education goals, including equity, inclusion, and universal design for all. The document details master planning and site planning requirements such as site selection, urban context analysis, cultural and heritage considerations, enrolment growth flexibility, and integration of early childhood and community facilities. It also covers architectural design themes including learning space quality, value for money, materials and lifecycle, acoustics, safety and security, and disaster mitigation for bushfires and floods.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages183

Reading Time7 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Acronyms

Glossary

Introduction

Part A | Design principles

1. Guiding vision, goals and strategies

2. Design principles

Part B | Master planning design principles

3. Introduction

4. Education facilities in Queensland

5. Urban design

6. Master planning and site planning

7. Architectural design

DECEMBER 2025 | VERSION 6.0 Design standards for Queensland Government education facilities Design standards for Queensland Government education facilities | Version 6.0 Contents Preface ............................................................................ VII Acronyms ........................................................................ VII Glossary .........................................................................VIII Introduction ...................................................................... 1 Part A | Design principles ............................................... 3 1. Guiding vision, goals and strategies.......................... 4 1.1 The Queensland Plan............................................4 1.2 Queensland Department of Education Strategic Plan .........................................................4 1.3 Equity and Excellence ...........................................5 1.4 Infrastructure for learning...................................5 2. Design principles .......................................................... 6 2.1 Overarching design principles.............................6 2.2 Design pillars .........................................................7 2.2.1 Access and inclusion ................................. 10 2.3 Universal design principles—‘design for all’ 10 Part B | Master planning design principles................ 12 3. Introduction ................................................................ 13 3.1 Facilities design principles ................................ 13 3.2 Compliance with Acts, regulations and standards..................................................... 13 4. Education facilities in Queensland .......................... 14 4.1 Primary schools .................................................. 14 4.2 Secondary schools ............................................. 14 4.3 P–10/12 schools.................................................. 14 4.4 K–6 and K–10/12 schools................................... 14 4.5 Enriched education—Queensland Academies ........................................................... 14 4.6 Special schools ................................................... 14 4.7 Hospital schools ................................................. 14 4.8 Schools of distance education.......................... 15 4.9 Outdoor and environmental education centres .............................................. 15 4.10 Queensland pathways state colleges .............. 15 4.11 Early childhood centres ..................................... 15 4.11.1 Regulated services .................................... 15 4.11.2 Non-regulated services ............................ 15 5. Urban design ............................................................... 16 5.1 Education facilities and the public environment............................................ 16 5.2 Urban design principles applied to education settings ............................................. 16 6. Master planning and site planning.......................... 20 6.1 New school site selection ................................. 20 6.2 Urban context analysis ...................................... 20 6.3 Cultural and heritage considerations.............. 20 6.4 Allowing for enrolment growth and flexibility 21 6.4.1 Master planning for prefabricated buildings..................................................... 21 6.5 Construction planning and future development ...................................................... 22 6.6 Integration of early childhood centres............ 22 6.7 Integration of existing community facilities... 22 6.7.1 Community use of education facilities ... 22 6.8 A sense of address ............................................. 23 6.9 Site circulation .................................................... 23 6.10 Disaster mitigation ............................................ 25 6.10.1 Bushf

FAQs

What is the purpose of this design standards document for Queensland education facilities?

It defines design principles and planning requirements for Queensland Government education facilities, covering guiding strategies through to architectural design considerations.

Which design principles are emphasized?

The document emphasizes overarching design principles, including access and inclusion and universal design principles for “design for all.”

What topics are covered under master planning and site planning?

Key topics include new school site selection, urban context analysis, cultural and heritage considerations, enrolment growth and flexibility, integration of early childhood centres and community use, circulation, and disaster mitigation such as bushfires and floods.

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Fez