Wed Oct 284:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Beyond Theming: Immersive Learning Environments Through Interior Design + Experiential Graphics

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)TRACK 1: Learning Spaces, Reimagined — Evolving physical spaces shaping the future of learning

Immersive environments are often reduced to themed or visually driven spaces. This session challenges that perception, reframing immersion as a holistic design strategy, one that emerges when space, graphics, materiality and learning are intentionally aligned to foster exploration, curiosity, and deeper student engagement. Through a collaborative lens, an interior designer and an experiential designer will demonstrate how immersive environments are created through the alignment of space, materiality, color, and storytelling. Rather than applying graphics as decoration, this approach embeds them as teaching tools, reinforcing curriculum, encouraging curiosity, and creating meaningful connections between students and their environment. Using real-world project examples, the session will illustrate how layered design strategies — spatial planning, sensory experience, and integrated graphics — can transform interiors into active participants in the learning ecosystem.

Speakers

Haley Costimiris
Haley CostimirisSenior Interior Designer, MHTN Architects
Marlo Pratt
Marlo PrattDirector, Experiential Graphic Designer, MHTN Architects

More Information

Tags:Group C
Allow Registration:No
Capacity Unlimited:No
Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:N/A
Learner Engagement:This session engages participants through visual case study exploration, guided discussion, and interactive critique. Attendees will analyze immersive environments and identify how space, materiality, and graphics work together to support learning. Through small group dialogue and real-time prompts, participants will reflect on how experiential design strategies can be applied in their own projects, encouraging deeper understanding beyond aesthetics and fostering practical, transferable ideas.
Learning Objective 1:Learn from case studies of K–12 interiors that move beyond theming toward experiential, learner-centered environments that align space, graphics and materiality.