IDPA Japan Design Award

QEEG Brain School

by Sen Huang

Project Description

QEEG Brain School is a pioneering educational environment designed
specifically for children with attention disorders and early intervention
needs. Covering 132 square meters, the space integrates neuroscience, spatial psychology, and sensory-responsive design to create an engaging yet calming atmosphere that enhances cognitive function, focus, and emotional well-being.
Design Concept: A Secret Playground for Learning and Exploration
The school is conceptualized as a "secret playground", transforming traditional learning spaces into a safe, interactive, and sensory-friendly environment where children feel at ease, curious, and motivated to explore. The spatial layout is designed to promote fluid movement and visual connectivity, reducing sensory overload and helping children transition smoothly between activities.
Arched openings and curved partitions define the various learning zones, creating a seamless and non-intimidating flow throughout the space. These architectural elements soften the environment, ensuring that children do not feel restricted or confined. The interplay of natural light and reflective surfaces expands spatial depth, while a muted color palette of soft neutrals and calming greens fosters relaxation, making the environment feel open and immersive.
A Science-Based Approach: EEG Cognitive Assessment for Personalized Learning
At the heart of QEEG Brain School is an EEG-based cognitive assessment system, which plays a crucial role in personalizing learning experiences. This scientific, tiered intervention program enables educators to track individual cognitive responses and attention levels, allowing them to progressively adjust the curriculum to match each child’s needs. By structuring learning experiences in a gradual and supportive manner, the design ensures that children develop their focus over time without feeling overwhelmed.
Acoustic Comfort and Sensory Integration
Sensory overload is a common challenge for children with attention disorders, making acoustic control a critical factor in the design. To www.idpa-japan.com minimize distractions, floating sound-absorbing panels are strategically placed throughout the space to diffuse noise and maintain a peaceful, focused learning atmosphere. The exposed structural elements preserve an industrial aesthetic while being softened by wood textures and cork flooring, offering tactile warmth and comfort.
Additionally, transparent partitions balance openness and privacy, allowing children to feel connected while maintaining structured learning areas. These elements ensure that children do not feel isolated while also preventing sensory overstimulation.
Material Selection: Comfort and Stability for Emotional Well￾Being
The choice of materials plays a fundamental role in enhancing the emotional security and comfort of the learning environment. One of the standout features is the static flocked carpet, which mimics the warmth of home. Its plush, soft texture provides a sense of security, reducing anxiety and encouraging children to feel comfortable engaging in learning activities. The anti-static properties of the carpet also ensure that children experience a stable and sensory-friendly surface, helping them stay calm and focused.
Furthermore, cork flooring and wooden textures contribute to a grounded, natural atmosphere, reinforcing the school’s holistic approach to cognitive and emotional support. The non-reflective, smooth surfaces prevent visual overstimulation, making it easier for children to focus on learning tasks without unnecessary distractions.
Encouraging Movement and Multi-Sensory Engagement
Recognizing that movement is an essential part of learning for children with attention challenges, the school incorporates adaptive seating, www.idpa-japan.com movement-friendly flooring, and interactive sensory tools. These design elements align with neuroscientific findings on embodied cognition, which suggest that physical activity enhances focus and learning retention.
The flexible seating arrangements allow children to choose positions that suit their comfort, ensuring that they remain engaged without feeling constrained. The flooring is designed to accommodate both seated and movement-based activities, allowing children to alternate between stillness and activity in a natural, intuitive way.
A New Benchmark for Early Intervention Educational Spaces
QEEG Brain School is more than just a learning environment—it is a transformative space that nurtures cognitive development, emotional resilience, and self-confidence. By seamlessly blending science-driven educational strategies with architectural innovation, this project sets a new benchmark for early intervention and neurodivergent-friendly learning spaces.
By redefining how space can support cognitive engagement, emotional stability, and sensory well-being, QEEG Brain School demonstrates the power of design in shaping positive learning experiences. This project serves as a model for the future of inclusive, neuroscience-backed educational spaces, ensuring that children with attention challenges receive the supportive and nurturing environment they need to thrive.

Sen Huang


Years of service: about 25 years
Title: Design Director (Founder & Principal)
Profession: Architecture & Interior Design field
"SIDSTORY" was established in 2013.
It is a platform capable of integrating interior design and architectural space, combining cultural cultivation, emphasizing the uniqueness of spatial stories, and developing spaces with a soul based on user habits.
The original intention was for spaces to be born from individuals, encountering beauty, and creating a beautiful atmosphere. By transforming the nutrients of life into the energy of happiness, the goal is to make spaces have unique memory points.
SIDSTORY's role is like cosmetic surgery for spaces, identifying the highlights of a space to transform it completely. Through design stories, it aims to create emotionally impactful scenes.
In the business, there is a deep belief that design stories can stack up brand value, thereby increasing brand recognition for commercial spaces. In the residential domain, the goal is to make the user's story the catalyst for the soul of the space, transforming it from a mere container to a realm that carries beautiful memories.
Creativity has limitless possibilities, reproducing the warmth of memories in a space. SIDSTORY doesn't just sell design; it sells the resonance after experiencing the story of a space.
-Awards
2025 French Design Awards - Gold - CHOCCY Metal
2024
International Property Awards - Winner - Nikko Kerreos
2023
TITAN Property Awards - Gold - Nikko Kerreos Outstanding Property Award London - Winner - Nikko Kerreos
2022
Muse Design Award - Gold - Isolated Forest
Muse Design Award - Sliver - Mic Mind Studio
Architecture Master Prize - Honorable Mention - Isolated Forest
SBID International Design Awards - Isolated Forest
2017
German Design Award - Special Mention - Extend‧Extending
2016
A’Design Award - Bronze - Extend‧Extending
A’Design Award - Bronze - Wander
K Design Award - Winner - Extend‧Extending
K Design Award - Winner - Wander

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