Back to School. Tutors: Stuart Harrison & Nicola Dovey
This lower pool studio looks directly at the nature of contemporary education spaces, and through design proposes modest scale learning environments that can serve as models for how to tackle the speedy provision works at schools. The studio is partially motivated by the federal government’s Building Education Revolution (BER) program, which is operating on very quick timelines; and the extensive research into education space undertaken in recent years and also focus through the Smart Green Schools ARC-funded project. The studio’s final project is new educational space at Carlton North Primary School; and this followed several detailed exercises in devices and techniques used in educational spaces; including time, furniture, props, group and informal learning strategies. The studio environment itself was used as a model for new education learning, and the students drew from their own current and fairly recent primary and secondary schooling in establishing norms in practice. New models were presented, researched and visited by us. Projects were undertaken mostly in groups, with the final eight schemes mostly completed in pairs. Concentration was given to building a bridge from the school to the community and the development of an interior that presents an idea of new learning.
1:1 Furniture Project Students worked on design and then quick fabrication of furniture for use in their later school projects.
Scenarios Students worked on a project with changing models using Lego people to test different learning environments over the course of a day; like theatre sets these scenes would change and describe new learning models such as play.
Site Visits The studio visited existing and new Melbourne schools such as MCR’s Fitzroy High School (pictured); and Borland’s Preshill, Melbourne’s Girls College and North Carlton Primary School which was the site for the following featured projects.
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North Elevation
1:100
East Elevation
b
1:100
a
a
Green Garden
Lee Street Entrance
Ogrady Street Entrance
JACQUELINE O’BRIEN BACK TO SCHOOL DESIGN STUDIO LEVEL 3
North Carlton Primary School Addition
The Cubby The Cubby design is about creating a casual, residential-like learning environment in contrast to the old Carlton North Primary School. The design was influenced by the idea of the cubby house following a visit from Preshil. Encouraged by the ways in which the buildings created a non-threatening and creative space, my design was looking to create a ‘backyard’ like school environment, a sanctuary for the children, like this was their personal play and learning space. In doing this I referenced residential architecture: the cubby house (a well known children’s haven), fencing, the backyard shed, the vegetable garden, seating areas, a courtyard, etc with the idea that it would have a custom built quality and that it would be a free space that could be adjusted and built upon. The main learning areas included such as the kitchen workshop, canteen and ‘play’ classroom can be used during school hours for cooking classes, PE classes or as a general school classroom. After school hours the kitchen and classroom space can be used for such things as afterschool care, community cooking/craft classes as well as a location for weekend sporting activities (with the use of sports storage, the soccer field, canteen, courtyard and stadium seating).
b
Site Plan
View from ramp looking over to kitchen building
‘Play’ classroom space interior
1:500
Ground Floor Plan
1:200
‘Kitchen’ classroom space interior
First Floor Plan
1:200
View of soccor field from ramp seating
COMMUNITY KITCHEN
LANE
COVERED COURTYARD
CANTEEN
Section a - a 1:50 Section b - b 1:100
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3
N
SITE PLAN 1:500
S3159461 Liang He S3197291 Sophie Russell
WEST ELEVATION 1:100
NORTH ELEVATION 1:100
GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1:100
ROOF PLAN 1:100
2
1 3
Cylindrical forms form the flowing corridor space
Introducing natural light from top to break the evenness of the interior
Different sitting settings
Visual connection to outside and circulation
THE PURPLE CIRCLE In the 21st century interactive learning is playing a more and more important role. As a result of this educational spaces required more flexibility which minimizes the elements of separation. Our aim for this project is to create an informal semidefined learning space which will encourage small group interactive learning and increase spatial flexibility of this new learning space. A series of cylindrical forms are designed as the structural support and they also enclose spaces for reflective learning. The circular forms affect the space which becomes a partly defined flowing space. To actively enrich this semi – defined learning space, skylights and various furniture is introduced. The evenness of the interior space is broken by the introduction of the natural light from top, and the different sitting arrangements which encourages different group study scenarios. Additionally this new educational space also acts as a gathering and interacting space in a social context. The form of the entrance as well as the semi transparent glass blocks which form the facade promotes a connection to the community. The space is also versatile in terms of its after school use. It can be used by the community for a variety of events. The curtain, just off to the side of the central space, temporary enclose the space for events such as small concerts, school plays etc.
SECTION BB 1:100
SECTION AA 1:100
2 pm
10 AM
4
7 pm
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Back To School Intelligent Transformation - Back Inside
Site Plan 1:500
Sport
Sport
No activities in this area.
Playground
This concept is located at the focal point of the existing site, which can creates an interesting relationship between the street and the school. We wanted the student to interact with the surrounding landscape and provide opportunities for students to experience textures, smells, sounds, with their 5 senses, as this is an important aspect of mode 2 learning. We wanted to blur the lines between inside and outside, formal education and a social environment by the concept ‘The Fat Edge’. The Fat Edge allows students to get close to nature and surroundings, by creating an inhabitable boundary, which allows students to sit and learn on the boundary itself. The Fat Edge wraps around out to Lee Street, allowing the school to extend out onto the community, by breaking out the site boundary, which blur the line between the school and the site boundary, it allows the building to interact with the street and community. By: Tsz Yau MOK S3169657 Alice Edmonds S3199673
Indoor activiti Outdoor activ Circulations
The site we chose, was lacking in activity, yet it is a focal point for the site.
The window acts as the only connection to the surrounding community and environment.
Mode One learning, as currently in place.
Mode Two, a combination of learning and experiencing.
West Elevation 1:100
North Elevation 1:100
Student activities happen within the existing school
South Elevation 1:100
Our design blurs the lines between inside and outside, formal education and a social environment.
The canopy provides shade for the sitting area on street outside. Existing school is a bold and solid stone made Gothic style building.
Glass house creates visual connection between internal and external.
The shutters of Council House 2 by architect Mick Pearce with DesignInc. allow airflow and control the amount of sunlight.
Three separate learning spaces.
The shutters provide airflow and fresh air into the learning environment.
Three separate learning spaces was created by closing the swinging door and puting the curtain in.
The swinging door and curtain has moved back to create School assemblies or large events space.
Plan 1:200
Plan 1:200
Section B-B 1:100
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An area that could be used for entire school assemblies, or large events.
Section C-C 1:100
Section A-A 1:50
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Outdoor learning space of Preshil primary school, Kew.
Sarit Meltzer & Eric Nguyen
BACK TO SCHOOL
North East elevation 1:100
North West elevation 1:100
Precedents TKTS STEPS
Mayers & Schiff Associates Time Square New York
South West elevation 1:100
South East elevation 1:100
Pioneer Ridge Elementary School
Johnstown CO, H+L
Site plan 1:500
Section AA 1:50 Stair detail: 1:50
First floor plan 1:100
The Spence School New York, FXFowle
Section BB 1:100
Ground floor plan 1:100
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INSPIRATIONAL PRECEDENT
BACK TO SCHOOL NORTH CARLTON PRIMARY SCHOOL EXTENSION Eleanor Joi Luna & Khara Abate s3200107 & s3165771
INITIAL IDEAS - SPATIAL CONTINUITY
SECTION 1:100
SITE PLAN 1:500
GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1:100
FIRST FLOOR PLAN 1:100
SECTION 1:50
NORTH ELEVATION 1:100
EAST ELEVATION 1:100
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WEST ELEVATION 1:100
SOUTH ELEVATION 1:100
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BACK TO SCHOOL THE LEARNING FENCE TAY JE HONG FARINA SUNG PUI HAN
s 3186215 s 3194327
PRECEDENTS
E x t e r i or R e n d e r
SITE PLAN 1:500
Precendents Research
Development InteriorRender-GroupS tudy Area
SECTION A-A 1 : 50
Section 1 : 20
InteriorRenderCommunityArea
SECTION B-B 1 : 50
Site Plan 1:500
InteriorRender-Gallery
GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1:100 ELEVATION 1:250
Elevation1:250 Personal Study Zone
Outdoor Learning Groups
Sitting
Bike Parking & Bike Lock Up
Outdoor Learning Groups Main Exhibition Area
RAMP
Small Learning Group
Night Render Neon Light
Ground Floor Plan 1:250 B
A
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Large Group Area
RAMP
C
RAMP
B
C
A
Parents Learning Area
Roof Plan 1:250
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PROJECT 5
SITE IMAGES
PRECEDENTS
El Croquis Head Ofce, Madrid, Spain, 1998 Richard Levene and Fernando Marquez Cecilia
Porters’ Lodges in the Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands, 1994 - 1996 MVRDV
SITE PLAN 1:1000 PROJECT 3 FURNITURES
Soon’s
Nana’s
RENDERS
LEE STREET
BACK TO SCHOOL
linear learning space
VIEW FROM THE WEST SIDE FLOOR PLAN 1:100
LEE STREET
WEST ELEVATION 1:100
SOUTH ELEVATION 1:100 SECTIONAL DIAGRAMS SHOWING DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY 1:200
VIEW FROM THE EAST SIDE
LEE STREET
NORTH ELEVATION 1:100
EAST ELEVATION 1:100
SECTION BB 1:100
LEE STREET
LEE STREET VIEW
LEE STREET VIEW
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SOON YEE S3158961 AZIANA ROSEDY S3169793
DETAILED SECTION AA 1:50
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SITE---PLAYGROUND
North Carlton Primary School
INITIAL IDEA
PRECENDENT--Reversible destiny
Playground Loft---Japan
RELATIONSHIP TO SITE
Combined Play And Study
BACK TO SCHOOL
MID---CRIT
Tunnel Attach To School Buliding
Connect Facade And Internal.(Facade:Timber And Colour tube.)
SCHOOL ENTRY
SCHOOL ENTRY
B B MAIN ENTRY
MAIN ENTRY ENTRY MAIN
SLIDING BOARD SLIDING BOARD
This indoor playground is designed with an idea of TRAMPOLINE
learning through play. With a series of learning space
TRAMPOLINE
i.e. the narrow corridor; the circle room and the
PRIVATE LEARNING
main play/learn area, it provides an opportunity for PRIVATE LEARNING
an interactive learning. As learning today are more community based and through interaction, the main space allows children to play in the colourful slides,
WEST ELEVATION 1:100
tunnels, climbs, ball pool, trampoline and more. While the teachers/guardians and children can use the open
A
A
space and the small study areas for monitoring or face A
to face learning.
A
The main space while actively used, the circle room, a low, quiet space, attached to the main space yet sepa
QUIET LEARNING
rated by sliding door can be used as a private learning
QUIET LEARNING
BALLPOOL
space. It can be accessed through the main space as
BALLPOOL
well as the linear corridor space which can be used as
NOISE LEARNING NOISE LEARNING
an exhibition space. The fa ade also acts as a climbing wall which is made GALLERY ENTRY
up of glass (behind) and timber strips at every 10cm
GALLERY ENTRY
gap. The ground is filled with sand along the perimeter
GALLERY GALLERY
of the building for safety reasons while climbing. The fa ade also helps in creating a relation between the inside and outside and an interesting pattern with light and shadow at different times of the day. The roof of the circular room and the linear corridor serves as a
B
terrace garden that is accessible through the ramp.
SECTION BB’ 1:100
B
The main idea of this design was to use the space to its maximum limit with dual use of most of the spaces and
PLAN 1:100
a relation to each other.
SITE PLAN 1:500
N
NORTH ELEVATION 1:50
SECTION AA’ 1:50 FINAL PRESENTATION
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STUDIO BY - STUART HARRISON & NICOLA DOVEY
XUANQI_YANG S3161612
AKREETY PRADHAN S3191836
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Students: Jackie O’Brien Max He Sophie Russell Alice Edmonds Eric Nguyen Taz Mok Sarit Meltzer Khara Abate Farina Sung Ben Tay Soon Lee Eleanor Luna Nana Rosedy Yang Xuanqui Akreety Pradhan Thanks to guest critics; Clare Newton Rowan Opat Daniela Konrad James Staughton Simon Wollan Ammon Berearley John Sadar 18
Studio Details Title: Back to School Tutor: Stuart Harrison & Nicola Dovey Pole: Urban Environments Date: Semester 1, 2009 This and other documented examples of design studios run as part of the RMIT University Architecture program can be found on issuu.com