TAS Strategic Masterplanning: Designing Learning Spaces for Today and Tomorrow

Over the past year, Taipei American School has been engaged in an important conversation about the future of our campus. This work asks a simple but meaningful question. How can our physical spaces better support the kind of learning, belonging, and community that define a TAS education? 

In March, we took an important step forward. During a schoolwide address, Head of School Mr. David Frankenberg and Dr. Chief Financial Officer Max Gygax shared an update on the Strategic Master Plan and introduced the first projects that will begin to bring this vision to life. 

The presentation also welcomed Rosan Bosch of Ms. Rosan Bosch Studio, who has been working alongside the TAS community to explore how our campus can evolve to support our mission and Schoolwide Learning Outcomes in the years ahead. 

Together, these conversations mark the beginning of a long-term transformation of the TAS campus, grounded in thoughtful planning, strong financial stewardship, and deep engagement with our community. 

A Campus Aligned With Our Educational Vision 

At TAS, our mission calls on us to cultivate an enduring commitment to learning, personal well-being, and service. Our Schoolwide Learning Outcomes define the skills and habits of mind we want students to develop as critical thinkers, collaborative communicators, self-directed learners, well-balanced individuals, and globally minded contributors. 

To support that vision, every part of the student experience must work together. Academic programs, student support systems, co-curricular opportunities, and the physical campus all shape how students learn and grow. 

During his address, Mr. Frankenberg reflected on this shift in thinking. Education today is not simply the transfer of information. It is about cultivating the capabilities that students will carry with them throughout their lives. 

For that reason, the campus itself must be designed intentionally to support those outcomes. 

What Is a Strategic Master Plan? 

A master plan is a long-term roadmap that guides how a campus develops over time. It looks at the entire learning environment and considers how buildings, outdoor areas, infrastructure, and shared spaces can evolve to support a school’s mission. 

At TAS, this work is focused on the next 10 to 15 years. The goal is to ensure that our campus continues to support the needs of our students and community as education continues to evolve.  

The Strategic Master Plan also connects directly to the priorities outlined in the TAS Strategic Plan. It ensures that investments in the campus are aligned with our commitment to teaching and learning, student support, belonging, and operational excellence. 

A Community Driven Process 

This work has been shaped by the voices of the TAS community. 

Over the past year, Rosan Bosch Studio has led workshops, focus groups, and dialogue sessions with students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators, and members of the Board of Trustees. More than 300 community members have contributed insights about how spaces support learning, collaboration, well-being, and connection across campus.  

A representative Strategic Masterplanning Taskforce has also played an important role in guiding this process. The taskforce includes students, parents, faculty, staff, and board representatives who meet regularly to review ideas, reflect on community feedback, and help shape the direction of the work. 

Through these conversations, several themes have consistently emerged. Community members emphasized the importance of belonging, connection, well-being, nature, and flexibility in the design of learning spaces. These themes now serve as guiding principles as the plan continues to develop. 

Announcing the First Strategic Master Plan Projects 

During the schoolwide address, Dr. Gygax shared the first four projects that will move forward as part of the Strategic Master Plan. 

These projects were selected because they represent meaningful opportunities to improve daily student experience while also laying the groundwork for the broader campus transformation. 

The first projects include: 

• Lower School Cafeteria & Community Room

A redesigned dining environment that supports well-being, social connection, and a welcoming space designed specifically for younger students. Construction preparation for the Lower School dining space will begin this spring, with the project expected to open in 2027.   

• Welcome Lobby

A transformed arrival experience that reflects the identity, spirit, and community of TAS. 

• Office of Learning 

A reimagined leadership and collaboration hub that brings together educators, families, and staff in a more transparent and connected environment. 

Both the Welcome Hall and Office of Learning are expected to be completed by the start of the 2026-27 academic school year. 

• Middle School Playground

A vibrant outdoor environment that encourages movement, social interaction, and community gathering. 

These projects represent the first steps in a longer journey. Additional projects will be presented for approval as the Strategic Master Plan continues to develop throughout the year. 

(Disclaimer: All renderings are for conceptual reference only and are not intended to depict final design details.)

Designing Spaces That Support Learning 

During her presentation, Ms. Bosch shared the philosophy that guides her work around the world. 

Her approach begins with a simple idea. The spaces we learn in influence how we think, collaborate, and grow. 

Rather than designing buildings first, her process begins with understanding how learning happens. Through dialogue with students and educators, patterns emerge that help shape environments that support concentration, collaboration, movement, creativity, and informal exchange. 

These ideas are reflected in the design principles Rosan Bosch Studio uses when working with schools, including learning environments that support focused work, collaborative dialogue, hands-on exploration, and spontaneous interaction.  

By aligning space, pedagogy, and community values, the goal is to create an environment that helps students develop the capabilities they will need for an uncertain and rapidly changing future. 

A Campus in Transformation 

This work represents an important moment in the history of TAS. 

The Strategic Master Plan is not a single project. It is a long-term commitment to ensuring that our campus continues to support the kind of education we believe in. 

It is also a reminder that strong schools continue to evolve. 

As Mr. Gygax noted during the presentation, progress is essential for sustaining excellence. When schools continue to reflect, adapt, and improve, they create the conditions for students to thrive. 

The work ahead will unfold step by step, guided by the community and aligned with the strategic direction of the school. 

Learn More and Stay Engaged 

We invite you to explore more about this work through the new Strategic Masterplanning website: 

Strategic Masterplanning Website 

You can also view the full presentation slides from Rosan Bosch Studio and watch the recording of the schoolwide presentation with David Frankenberg, Max Gygax, and Rosan Bosch. 

Recording of the Schoolwide Address on the Strategic Master Plan with Rosan Bosch

Join the Conversation 

Parents are warmly invited to continue the conversation at TAS’s upcoming Parent Gathering with Mr. David Frankenberg on Wednesday, April 29, in the Lower School Library. 

Register for the Head of School PreK-12 Parent Gathering on April 29

This gathering will provide an opportunity to learn more about the Strategic Master Plan, ask questions, and hear about the next steps in this work.