Get to know Liza Ringdahl, bringing her passion for neuroscience into the sphere of education architecture

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Sep 7, 2017

Get to know Liza Ringdahl, bringing her passion for neuroscience into the sphere of education architecture

Liza Ringdahl has recently been appointed senior education leader with architecture practice, Hayball.

Liza Ringdahl is an architect with a unique skill set. She has recently been appointed senior education leader with architecture practice, Hayball, where she aims to bring her knowledge of and passion for neuroscience into the field of education architecture, with a view to improving learning outcomes and enhancing wellbeing.

You’ve just been appointed Senior Education Leader at Hayball's Brisbane studio. Can you tell us a little about your new role?

I have always admired Hayball and the work the practice does in the education sector, so I’m honoured to take the role as Senior Education Leader at the Brisbane studio.

Hayball is authentic in its quest for research-driven design excellence in the field, which is something that aligns well with my personal values.

In the role, I’ll be leading a team of architects and designers in the education space, working to attract new projects and grow the practice’s education footprint in the Qld region.

Have you worked in education architecture before?

I was initially drawn to educational architecture after working as a high-level manager at a large international Architectural Practice, where I personally saw the link between the quality of the internal architectural spaces and the immediate performance outcomes associated with these spaces.

Whether you are wishing to gain greater productivity and efficiency in the workplace or hoping to achieve greater educational and learning outcomes for individuals within learning environments, many of the fundamental design principles are related.

I loved the idea of being able to positively enhance numerous lives by providing beautifully and sensitively designed educational buildings that truly enhanced the occupants learning outcomes.

I’ve worked in the education sector for five years, on projects including the West End State School, Loreto Cruci Building and the Charles Sturt University Engineering Building in Bathurst.

The crossover from other disciplines I’ve worked in, such as large scale commercial facilities, retail precincts, bespoke interior designs, has also given me a great pool of relevant experience from which to draw.

I understand you have a background in neuroscience. Can you tell us about that?

I come from a medical family which influenced my early studies in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology when I first left school. I then progressed into the architecture field as it provided me with the prefect blend of creative and technical work aspects.

I’ve always found the area of neuroscience incredibly interesting and of course, there are countless links with architecture and how it influences our brain functionality and physiology. There are well researched cognitive benefits associated with the sense of place that I have been able to explore through the means of design, and I often draw upon the work of Dr Esther Sternberg, a professor and researcher in the field of the mind and body interaction.

I am also a member of the Neuroleadership Institute and the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (US), and am actively involved in the further development and education of cognitive behavioural science.

How does a background in neuroscience inform your architecture?

We know through research that when you employ basic, good design tools – such as creating an environment with choice of learning spaces, connection to nature, and breakout spaces for collaborative learning practices – the day to day wellness and cognitive abilities of students, teachers and anyone really, are greatly enhanced.

It’s fairly common sense that good design would lead to good outcomes, but it’s an often forgotten fact.

At Hayball, I’ll be referencing my knowledge of the links between architecture and neuroscience which will help inform the design with an aim to enhance the learning outcomes and general well being of all the users within these spaces.

Why is there so much new education architecture happening in Brisbane right now?

The 2017-2018 Queensland Budget included a record $13.7 billion dedicated to education, including nearly $500 million in school infrastructure to cater to the enrolment of an additional 17,000 expected students by 2020. Architects are being called upon to provide solutions to the future needs as well as the current needs of our education landscape, and so there is tremendous opportunity in the sector at the moment.

Is architecture a good profession for women?

I love working in architecture and truly believe that it can be an excellent profession for women. However, more needs to be done to make workplaces more flexible to the diverse needs of both women and men, as well as in the promotion of women in the sector.

Many of my colleagues and myself are big champions of women in architecture, and there are organisations that exist, such as NAWIC, that also promote the excellent contributions that women make to the industry.

Where do you live now, and where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?

I currently live in Mount Cotton, Qld. It’s a beautiful part of South-East Queensland where we are surrounded by natural forest and is only 10 minutes from the beautiful bayside region.

If I could live anywhere in the world, I most probably would still live in Mount Cotton due to the wonderful family and friends I have who also live in the surrounding areas.