45 School Building, Sandy L.pdf - Sergison Bates architects

121 Covered play area2 View of timber claddingSergison Bates architects

121, 2 School in useSergison Bates architects

In 2000 The Department for Educationand Skills (DfES) set up a nationwidepilot scheme to explore different andinspiring ways of delivering education.The concept of ‘Classrooms of theFuture’ was established, to re-assess theteaching environment: the classroom,in order to update it and to provideadaptable space, in response to thegrowing sophistication of teachingmethods and the increasing use oftechnology.The site for each classroom building isalongside three existing school buildings,generally at an edge or at a thresholdwith landscape or playing field.The new buildings are conceived aspieces of occupied landscape; anappendage to each school which extendsitself into the adjoining landscape setting.They may be likened to ‘tassels of acarpet’ in the way that tassels create asoft and perforate edge between the floorand the added layer of carpet itself. Indifferent ways each grass-roofed pavilionadds to the presence of the landscapeand creates new relationships andpossibilities in the spaces that alreadyexist between buildings. The structure ofeach building is of a balloon frame withsteel enhancement to achieve the span,size of window and column-free spacerequired.As an expression of a building in thelandscape, buildings are clad in woodand detailed such that the layers ofconstruction are clearly visible. Thehorizontal hardwood boarding resemblesa screen which wraps itself around thecomplex plan forms. Where the roofcantilevers to from a porch or coveredplay area, the boarding is replaced withlarge plywood panels painted in strongcolours.The principal teaching space resemblesa hall or studio with smaller roomsin close proximity around it. Daylightenters from the roof lantern and froma variety of windows or larger glazeddoors. The main space has the facility tobe completely blacked out and generallighting is dimmable. Interior spaces arealso connected to a generous externalcovered play area which encouragesmore regular use in teaching time than isthe convention.A visible service infrastructure hasbeen incorporated into the classroombuildings, either as accessible floorducts, serviced wall linings or articulatedslots and channels in the ceiling. Theseprovide power, data and IT supplies in aneven distribution across the spaces.Surface materials to the interior aretreated as added layers or ‘linings andwearings’. Conventional skirtings areextended to form dados and architravesto door and window and are detailedto merge with these to form a robustand easily cleanable wearing surfaceclose to touch. In the more intimatespaces, coloured felt linings are usedon walls and ceilings to give a softacoustic atmosphere whilst on the floorthroughout, chequer-board linoleumpanels are used in the main space tofurther activate the teaching environment.The plan layouts are non-orthogonal,creating a variety of spaces and a multidirectionalquality to the main space.This plan form encourages a creativeuse of space by the teacher and agrowing awareness of the surroundingsby the pupils. The facetted forms ofthe buildings also make connections toeach site in terms of views, alignment toexisting buildings and landscape.Sergison Bates architectsClient: Bedfordshire County CouncilCost consultants: Smith TurnerStructural engineers: Greig-LingEnvironmental engineers: ArupPlanning supervisors: Smith TurnerGraphic designer: JANEContractor: Neville Construction Ltd