Nicolas tye architects Where did the design go? School design

nicolas tye architects

Where did the design go?

School design


• In a recent audit by CABE of schools built in the last five years, 50% were deemed poor or mediocre.


Schools need to be a place where children are not simply taught, but one where a community of individuals can share learning experiences and activities. They must become inspirational educational environments.


Activity 1 – 10 minutes

• What for you are the components for an inspirational environment for a community of learners?

• Work in groups of 3 or 4• Decide through dialogue what you would

ideally like to see for schools of the future• Write your ideas onto a flip chart to share with

the rest of the group


How can this be achieved?

• Design must be exemplar, inspiring, innovating, sustainable and flexible.

• The physical fabric of the school affects its activities and how it functions. The architecture not only shapes the way a school feels to the people inside but also to its wider community.


Activity 2 – 5 minutes

• Working with the same group as before agree what problems in building design you have experienced in your setting

• List them as they are brainstormed• Then order them into the top three negative

impacts on the educational environment• Let’s now discuss how good design for 21st

century schools will overcome these issues


Function

• Firstly access, space and uses need to be considered.


Durability

• Long lasting specified products which require little maintenance, this in turn will reduce running costs.

• The choice of materials is therefore imperative to the sustainability of the fabric.

• Materials such as copper (pre-painted), aluminium windows and cedar cladding.


• Add in images of these materials


Sustainability-reducing running costs

• Natural light not only creates a pleasant environment but also decreases the need for artificial light and therefore reduces energy requirements.

• Solar shading• Insulation• Heat sinks??• Chimneys to draw out stale air from classrooms• Water collections to natural ponds, decreases run off

to mains sewers• Earth tubes-draw in air to cool naturally



Environment

• Good natural light-pleasant environment has been shown to promote good behavior

• Space

• Welcoming

• Quality


Spaces

• Not just about classrooms, schools are so much more than this.

• Social areas - fine and wet weather• Break out areas-discussion groups• Eating/coffee shops• Play spaces• Administration areas• Storage spaces• Wash facilities


Build quality

• Hard wearing

• Easy to maintain/durable surfaces

• Good quality- natural materials provides an impression of quality and welcoming


• Add in images of good quality structures


Entrances

• Everyone comes in through a foyer. It should be exciting and inspirational place to pass.


Activity 3 – 5 minutes• What are the requisites for an exciting and

inspirational place for the entrance to a school from your practitioner points of view?

• Discuss in your group with a “money is no object” context identify three things which are “must haves” for a future school wish list. Write each on a separate post-it.

• Be ready to share these with the whole group


Entrances

• Positive first impression

• Sense of accessibility and welcoming

• Light

• Generous

• Encourage ease of movement



Internal circulation

• Simple

• Legible

• wide


• Images of good circulation


safety

• ???


Flexibility

• There is a need to allow for diversity of approaches to education in the future.

• Allows building to adapt to size of school and schools needs.


• Images flexibility, ie school by day, community centre at night for adult learning

• How a classroom could change from art to PE??


Outside space

• High quality landscaping.

• Attractive to sit and look out onto.

• Inspires sense of pride and worth in pupils.



Documents

Nicolas tye architects Where did the design go? School design