Perspective: Designing with heart at Vern Barnett School
Returning to Vern Barnett School recently, I was reminded why this project continues to hold such special meaning for us at DesignInc. The school feels calm, cohesive, and full of purpose: an environment that supports learning, growth and most importantly, belonging. It’s a space where every detail has been designed to uplift students, many of whom experience the world in unique and often challenging ways.
Our journey with Aspect began several years ago, but the foundations were laid much earlier, with shared values. From the outset, our collaboration was built on trust, care, and a mutual commitment to shaping spaces that truly support the wellbeing and potential of students on the autism spectrum.
The brief for Vern Barnett was ambitious but grounded: reimagine the campus to better reflect the needs of today’s learners, while honouring the legacy of a school that has led the way in autism-specific education since the 1960s. Located in Sydney’s leafy north, the school is architecturally significant—a hallmark of the Sydney education heritage style with brickwork, exposed timber, and a strong relationship to its bushland setting. Respecting that identity was central to our approach.
We started by listening. We visited several Aspect campuses across NSW, engaged deeply with teachers and support staff, and took the time to observe learning in action. We asked: what helps? What hinders? What does a supportive classroom actually look and feel like for students?
From this, a clear set of principles emerged. Spaces needed to be calm, structured but flexible, and deeply attuned to sensory regulation. Every decision was guided by these insights; colour palette, material selection, acoustic treatment, spatial layout.
Inside the classrooms, we introduced a flexible layout that supports different learning styles and modes. Zones for gathering, for focused work, for quiet retreat. Rounded corners, soft textures, acoustic panels and gentle lighting work together to create a sense of safety and control. Even storage solutions were carefully designed to reduce visual clutter, which can be overwhelming for students on the spectrum.
Outside, the landscape plays an equally important role. In collaboration with our Landscape Principal, Michael Doak, we designed a series of outdoor spaces that support both structured play and quiet reflection. The connection to nature which was so strong in the original vision for the school, has been carefully preserved and enhanced.
Vern Barnett is a flagship campus for Aspect, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see how the design has been received—not just by students and educators, but by the broader school community.
There’s a renewed sense of pride in the school. Staff have told us how the spaces help them teach more effectively. Parents have shared what it means to have a school that feels safe, respectful, and beautifully tailored to their child’s needs.
This project has since become the foundation for a broader body of work with Aspect. We’re now working across several of their campuses, applying the same design principles and continuing to evolve our approach in response to each unique context. The mission remains the same: to create learning environments that are inclusive, purposeful, and filled with care.
For me, this work is about more than buildings. It’s about relationships, values, and the belief that good design can make a real difference in people’s lives. Projects like Vern Barnett School remind us of the power of design when it’s rooted in empathy and they challenge us to keep doing better, for every student, every day.
This article was authored by Senior Designer, Pablo Alvarez
Pablo is a creative, dedicated and versatile designer with exceptional skills in concept development, project documentation and construction detailing. With over 16 years’ professional experience in residential, commercial, retail, institutional and education projects with proven ability to deliver innovative and well documented projects. Pablo is an Educational Facilities Standards and Guidelines (ESFG) Expert and has most recently worked on education projects including the Aspect Autism Spectrum Schools Multi-Campus Refurbishment, Central Coast Clinical School and Lindfield Learning Village.
