From 1938 to 1941 he attended University High School and at age 15 was offered a job as office hand at the studio of Best Overend, a pioneer of modernist architecture in Melbourne.
In 1944 Borland attended first year of a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the University of Melbourne before withdrawing to join the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, serving in WWII from July 1945 to January 1947.
Borland’s belief in an idealistic society of economic, educative and social equality was intensified by his experiences at war and remained prevalent throughout his career and life.
During 1951 and 1952, Borland worked for ‘the Age’ Royal Victorian Institute of Architects Small Homes Service under former tutors Robin Boyd and Neil Clerehan.
The second of these (and first completed) was the Rice House (1952–53), which used an innovative method of chicken wire reinforced concrete shells in a lightweight form of slender vaulting roofs.