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The purpose of this design competition was to create a new 1.5 stream primary school and nursery on the site of the former Navigation Primary School.
From the building ‘heart’ a simple circulation strategy was adopted with an ‘activity’ corridor to the Reception classes and the Nursery, and an ‘interactive’ street to the Infants and Junior classes. The activity corridor is designed to provide a space for interaction and education for specialised educational needs. The ‘street’ provides access to all classrooms and practical rooms, with additional work areas outside the main teaching spaces for individual or joint class projects. The street also acts as the main corridor at both levels interconnected by two staircases enabling easier communication and management of the school operations throughout the day.
Classroom design is consciously regularised in form to allow classes to be interchanged as required. Adjacent classes can be opened up on both floors to allow communal teaching; or can be stand alone. On the ground floor classrooms have dedicated toilets, cloaks and stores, with direct access to the playground, while the Junior classrooms on the upper level have only dedicated stores and cloaks with communal toilet facilities located off the street. A lift is also incorporated to comply with DDA requirements.
The proximity of the halls enables flexible spaces to be accommodated for the different requirements of the School and the community through the incorporation of sliding screens. The library at the core of the building is designed as an adaptable space to accommodate a formal learning centre, an exhibition space or an informal social area when required.
The fenestration has been designed to respect the shorter stature of the children so that they may see out with lower cills being used as shelves or work tables. Externally glazed covered play areas or ‘home bases’ have been created with contrasting flagging and seating to create their own sense of identity.
Clients: Trafford Metropolitan Council
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