Cracking the Urban Education Puzzle: A Journey Through School Design Masterpieces
Expanding Educational Infrastructure: Catering to the evolving needs of the neighborhood
As cities keep growing denser, schools need to adapt to a myriad of unique spaces and locations. Architecture Today, in alliance with Amtico and SIG Design and Technology, delved into this conundrum, exploring ways for architects and the construction industry to create breathtaking, inclusive, safe, and eco-friendly learning zones on urban sites.
The session showcased an array of visionary minds, including Je Ahn of Studio Weave, Gavin Hale-Brown from Henley Halebrown, Ian Dryden of SIG Design & Technology, Sheila O'Donnell from O'Donnell + Tuomey, Sophia Wise from Amtico, and Negar Mihanyar from Hawkins\Brown.
Je Ahn opened the floor with Belvue School in west London, a facility catering to children with moderate to severe learning difficulties. The location, nestled against a wooded area, was a significant design motivator. Classrooms boasted doors opening directly to the forest, a lovingly chaotic haven for the students and their nature-loving hearts. Ahn introduced the 'messy barn,' a multipurpose space where children could shed their muddy shoes and find additional functionalities like a performance area.
Photography: Jim Stephenson
Gavin Hale-Brown brought up Hackney New Primary School in London, championing the idea of housing, retail, and primary education symbiotically on a tight urban site. The school, positioned off the hectic A10, shared boundaries with Regent's Canal, Kingsland Basin, and an overground rail line. To tackle the complexity, Henley Halebrown crafted a mid-rise tower accommodating residential units on upper floors and retail outlets on street-facing sides. Lower levels were reserved for the school's amenities, primarily bike storage for staff and students. The school section adjoined the tower, with classrooms arranged around a courtyard, turning them into vibrant 'storefronts.'
Photography: Nick Kane
Ian Dryden, national specification manager at SIG Design & Technology, discussed the importance of planned maintenance for educational estates, using Lightcliffe Academy in Halifax as an example of efficient estate management programs. With interconnected buildings of varying heights in poor condition, the academy embarked on a five-year maintenance program, swapping fragile, non-compliant rooflights with compliant ones, while reinforcing other roof areas with SIGnature Torch-on Bituminous membrane.
Sheila O'Donnell, founding director of O'Donnell + Tuomey, presented St Angela's College in Cork, a project intertwining existing structures with a 17-year long development process. The design includes new rooftop spaces, linking both ends of the lengthy complex site, making external spaces easily accessible. The project revolves around creating new bridges and connections, providing spectacular city views through a glazed bridge connecting the library to an art room.
Photography: Alice Clancy
Sophia Wise, regional commercial manager at Amtico, highlighted flooring's impact on creating engaging and sustainable education spaces. By employing bright or muted tones, patterns, and colors, flooring can shape the aesthetic of learning areas, establish identity, and simplify wayfinding and zoning. Wise cited the Clothworkers South Building at Leeds University as an example of effective wayfinding through floor designs.
Negar Mihanyar, associate director and education and research sector lead at Hawkins\Brown, showcased Central Foundation Boys' School in east London. Centered in a conservation area, the project encompassed refurbishing several existing buildings surrounding a central courtyard. The school's designed-from-scratch buildings were split into subject areas like sciences and arts, with consolidated classrooms and improved circulation and accessibility.
In conclusion, crafting remarkable schools that thrive in urban settings demands innovative solutions that embrace sustainability, community engagement, and adaptive use of space. This session was a thought-provoking exploration of designs that not only survive but excel in such dynamic environments.
Fascinating Facts:
- Some schools are designed to be transformative spaces that serve both as educational institutions and community hubs, maintaining a lively presence throughout the day and night [3].
- Biophilic and net-zero energy designs have become increasingly common in densely populated urban areas, integrating green spaces and reducing environmental impact [4].
- Former market buildings can be repurposed into modern schools, showcasing the adaptive reuse of urban structures [2].
- Perforated aluminum screens and innovative materials can add a unique touch to urban school design, enhancing their aesthetic appeal [2].
- Schools can serve as integral components of community engagement, fostering connections and collaboration between residents and students [1].
- The Belvue School in west London, presented by Je Ahn, is designed with doors opening directly to a forest, creating a unique learning environment that combines education with nature.
- Gavin Hale-Brown discussed Hackney New Primary School in London, a symbiotic blend of housing, retail, and primary education on a tight urban site, embracing the concept of a live-work-learn urban development.
- Sheila O'Donnell from O'Donnell + Tuomey presented St Angela's College in Cork, a long-term development project involving linking existing structures with new elements, and integrating rooftop spaces for enhanced connectivity and accessibility.
- Ian Dryden, national specification manager at SIG Design & Technology, emphasized the importance of planned maintenance in educational estates, as shown through the efficient estate management programs implemented at Lightcliffe Academy in Halifax.
These innovative school designs demonstrate the significance of technology, relationships, sustainability, education, and self-development in urban education, while also incorporating elements of music, sports, and the environment in their unique structures.
