The Biatorbágy Innovative Technical School and High School (BIT) is not only a new institution on the Hungarian educational map, but also a model school born at the intersection of 21st-century pedagogy and architecture. Opened in the 2023/24 school year, the 11,000 m² campus offers a home to around 600 students, combining high school and vocational pathways in finance and accounting, logistics, and information technology.

During the LEARNITECT project study visit, participants experienced firsthand what it means when architectural vision, digital infrastructure, and pedagogical mission are closely intertwined.

One can clearly feel that this school is future-oriented. Every detail tells you that students are not only prepared for the present but also for a rapidly changing world

as one visiting participant reflected in their diary.

A building that creates community

The architectural concept was shaped by leading experts with sustainability, digitalisation, and community spaces at its core. Architects, educators, and technology specialists worked together throughout the planning process. The result is a bright and open building where the atrium, learning blocks, and multifunctional zones serve not only as functional units but also as the beating heart of everyday community life.

As school leader Attila Frész explained:

For us, the most important thing is that every single part of the building supports students’ well-being. Spaces here don’t separate, they connect – learning and community belong together.

A digital world with a human face

BIT stands out for integrating digitalisation purposefully into teaching and learning. Every student uses a personal laptop, while classrooms are equipped with full digital infrastructure – from interactive panels to displays and high-performance networks.

Teachers have also introduced a new points-based assessment system that reduces stress while encouraging continuous development. One participant put it this way:

Here, digital tools don’t replace the teacher, they empower them. This approach is still rare in Hungary, which made it especially inspiring to see in action.

Diversity of spaces, richness of methods

The school’s interior is designed for flexibility: mobile furniture, modular classrooms, and varied community areas enable teachers to adapt learning environments to different methods – from traditional lectures to group projects and cooperative learning.

Corridors and atriums are furnished with beanbags, armchairs, tables, and even game stations. Student artworks are displayed prominently, making the environment feel lived-in and welcoming. As one student remarked:

This is not only a place to study, but also a place to live. The hallways aren’t empty; they are where we meet, talk, play, or just rest a little.

Supporting well-being and community

One of BIT’s greatest strengths is its system-level focus on student well-being. The school operates its own digital platform that helps monitor mental health and safety. Through simple signals submitted by students or teachers, school psychologists can step in early and provide timely support.

We want every student to feel that they are never alone. There is always someone to listen and to help.

– emphasised Attila Frész.

This philosophy is reflected in the spatial organisation as well: learning blocks are arranged around atriums that are not only thoroughfares but also gathering places and event venues.

Multifunctionality and sustainability

Flexibility is a key principle. The atrium can quickly transform into an event space with a mobile stage; the library doubles as a study room, lecture hall, and exhibition space. Acoustic quality has also been carefully designed: wooden panels, carpets, and sound-absorbing elements make the interiors pleasant and calm.

Sustainability is present in every corner: energy-efficient systems, abundant natural light, and integrated greenery inside and outside. This makes the building not only a space for learning, but also a living example of environmental responsibility.

Lessons and inspirations through the visitors’ eyes

For the participants, BIT represented more than a modern school building: it was a living example of how educational innovation and architectural creativity can go hand in hand.

One visitor summed up their impressions:

The most important message for me was that every detail of this school aligns with its pedagogical goals. This is not about luxury, but about thoughtful design. This is how all schools should be built.

Partners

• Magyar Digitális Oktatásért Egyesület (Hungary – co-ordinator)
• IAL Toscana Innovazione Apprendimento Lavoro srl. Impresa Sociale (Italy)
• Previform – Laboratório, Formação, Higiene e Segurança do Trabalho, Lda (Portugal)
• Learnitect Design Kft. (Hungary)

Project duration: 1 September 2023 – 31 August 2025

Grant amount: EUR 60,000

Grant Agreement No.: 2023-1-HU01-KA210-SCH-000152699

LEARNITECT – Az innovatív tanulási tervezés és inkluzív tanulási terek találkozása c. projekt (Hungarian)

LEARNITECT – Meeting of innovative learning design and inclusive learning spaces (ENG)

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

GA Nr.: 2023-1-HU01-KA210-SCH-000152699.

With the main partner of the project, the Hungarian Association for Hungarian Digital Education, and with partners Learnitect Design Ltd (Hungary),  Previform Lda (Portugal) IAL Toscana carries out the project activities, financed by Erasmus Plus programme.