If It Doesn’t Work for Learning, Why Are We Still Doing It at Work?
You might’ve seen it in the headlines: open-plan classrooms are officially on the way out in Aotearoa.
After years of debate, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced a significant shift. New Zealand will no longer build open-plan classrooms. It’s a quiet end to a loud experiment in so-called “modern learning environments.”
The reason? They simply didn’t work.
Teachers reported more distractions. Students struggled to focus. And for neurodiverse learners, those with ADHD, autism, or sensory sensitivities, the environment was often overwhelming. The verdict was clear: too noisy, too chaotic, too hard to learn in.
So, schools are going back to the basics. Individual classrooms with walls, doors, and quieter corners. It’s a return to learning environments that actually support concentration and wellbeing.
But here’s the thing: open-plan classrooms didn’t emerge in isolation. They were heavily influenced by office design.
The Open-Plan Idea: Good on Paper, Tough in Practice
In the early 2010s, “modern learning” looked a lot like modern office design. Tear down the walls, open up the space, make everything feel flexible, social, and collaborative.
Sound familiar?
It’s the same logic that drove open-plan offices. The promise was the same too: more visibility, flatter hierarchies, and more ideas flying around.
But just like in schools, the reality hasn’t always matched the hype.
Teachers found it difficult to manage multiple groups. Noise became a constant issue. Students were easily distracted, especially those with specific learning or sensory needs.
In fact, one Christchurch school spent $1.5 million reversing the change, putting the walls back in.
Would We Tolerate This in the Workplace?
Picture this: you arrive at work and there’s no meeting room, no door to close, nowhere to step away. Just one big, shared space, constant noise, every phone call public, every task competing with background chatter.
Would we call that a “modern office”?
Or a noisy café with desks?
It sounds absurd, but that’s exactly what open-plan classrooms asked of students. And it mirrors what many workplaces still demand of employees.
We expect students to concentrate, collaborate, and think critically. Isn’t that what we ask of our teams too?
So if schools are recognising the value of calm, structure, and spatial choice… shouldn’t we be doing the same at work?
How We Fell in Love With Open Everything
There’s a bigger cultural current behind this.
In both classrooms and offices, we embraced a simple idea: more openness equals more creativity. Tear down the walls, the thinking went, and you’d break down silos, encourage teamwork, and spark innovation.
But that belief wasn’t rooted in much evidence. It just looked fresh. Tech companies were doing it. Designers were championing it. And soon, openness became shorthand for “modern.”
Only now, we’re seeing the cracks.
Because openness alone doesn’t guarantee better ideas, or better outcomes.
And collaboration doesn’t have to come at the expense of quiet.
Work Is Learning Too
There’s something we often overlook:
Work is learning.
To do your job well, especially in a fast-changing world, you need to absorb information, adapt quickly, and think clearly. All of that requires focus.
The same kind of focus New Zealand’s schools are now working hard to restore.
If distraction makes it harder for students to learn, it does the same to employees.
So maybe this isn’t just an education shift. Maybe it’s a signal for the workplace too.
A Quiet Solution for Noisy Offices
No one’s saying every open-plan office needs to go. Just like schools aren’t outlawing flexibility altogether.
What we are seeing, though, is a turning point. A realisation that people do better with variety.
Open when it works. Enclosed when it matters.
That’s exactly where Silent Pod comes in.
We design quiet, enclosed meeting pods for modern New Zealand offices. No big builds. No construction noise. Just plug-in, purpose-built spaces for clear thinking, calm calls, or private conversations, right where you are.
Because sometimes, all it takes is one quiet space to change the way your team works.
Curious What a Pod Could Do for Your Space?
Whether you’re running a busy office or designing a learning environment, adding just one quiet space can make a big difference.
You can explore some of our recent pod projects here.
Or see a full list of our silent pod types here to compare options.
Have questions?
We’re always happy to chat, no pressure, just ideas. Get in touch and let’s find the right fit for your space.
