Back to School.Tutors: Stuart Harrison & Nicola Dovey

1This lower pool studio looks directly at the nature of contemporary education spaces, and through design proposes modest scale learning environ-ments that can serve as models for how to tackle the speedy provision works at schools. The studio is partially motivated by the federal governments Building Education Revolution (BER) program, which is operating on very quick timelines; and the extensive research into education space under-taken in recent years and also focus through the Smart Green Schools ARC-funded project. Thestudiosfinalprojectisneweducationalspace 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 learn-ing 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 wereundertakenmostlyingroups,withthefinaleight schemes mostly completed in pairs. Con-centration 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 ProjectStudents worked on design and then quick fabrication of furniture for use in their later school projects.

Site VisitsThe studio visited existing and new Melbourne schools such as MCRs Fitzroy High School (pictured); and Bor-lands Preshill, Melbournes Girls College and North Carlton Primary School - which was the site for the following featured projects.

ScenariosStudents worked on a proj-ect with changing models using Lego people to test different learning environ-ments over the course of a day; like theatre sets these scenes would change and describe new learning mod-els such as play.

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North Carlton Primary School Addition

The Cubby

JACQUELINE OBRIEN

BACK TO SCHOOL DESIGN STUDIO

LEVEL 3

Green Garden Lee Street Entrance Ogrady Street Entrance

North Elevation 1:100

View from ramp looking over to kitchen building Play classroom space interior

Section a - a 1:50

CANTEENCOVERED COURTYARD

COMMUNITY KITCHEN

LANE

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 childrens 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 loca-tion for weekend sporting activities (with the use of sports storage, the soccer field, canteen, courtyard and stadium seating).

Site Plan 1:500

East Elevation 1:100

Ground Floor Plan 1:200 First Floor Plan 1:200

Play classroom space interior Kitchen classroom space interior View of soccor field from ramp seating

a

b

ba

Section b - b 1:100

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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 semi-

defined learning space which will encourage small group interactive learning and increase spatial flexibility of this new learn-

ing 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 sce-

narios. 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 commu-

nity. 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.

10 AM 2 pm 7 pm

SECTION BB 1:100 SECTION AA 1:100

NORTH ELEVATION 1:100

Introducing natural light from top to break the evenness of the interior Different sitting settings Visual connection to outside and circulation

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3

Cylindrical forms form the flowing corridor space

ROOF PLAN 1:100 GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1:100

N

WEST ELEVATION 1:100S3159461 Liang HeS3197291 Sophie Russell

THE PURPLE CIRCLE

SITE PLAN 1:500

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Sport

Sport

Playground

No activitiesin this area.

Indoor activiti

Outdoor activ

Circulations

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.

Back To School Intelligent Transformation - Back Inside

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.

Student activities happen within the existing school

Three separate learning spaces.

An area that could be used for entire school assemblies, or large events.

The shutters provide airfl ow and fresh air into the learning environment.

The canopy provides shade for the sitting area on street outside.

Our design blurs the lines between inside and outside, formal education and a social environment.

The swinging door and curtain has moved back to create School assemblies or large events space.

Three separate learning spaces was created by closing the swinging door and puting the curtain in.

Site Plan 1:500

Plan 1:200 Plan 1:200

Section B-B 1:100 Section C-C 1:100 Section A-A 1:50

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 airfl ow and control the amount of sunlight.

Outdoor learning space of Preshil primary school, Kew.

By: Tsz Yau MOK S3169657 Alice Edmonds S3199673

North Elevation 1:100 West Elevation 1:100 South Elevation 1:100

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BACK TO SCHOOL

Site plan 1:500

Ground floor plan 1:100

First floor plan 1:100

Precedents

The Spence School

Pioneer RidgeElementary SchoolJohnstown CO, H+L

TKTS STEPSMayers & Schiff Associates

Time Square New York

New York, FXFowle

Section AA 1:50

Section BB 1:100

North East elevation 1:100

North West elevation 1:100

South West elevation 1:100 South East elevation 1:100

Sarit Meltzer & Eric Nguyen

Stair detail:1:50

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BACK TO SCHOOLNORTH CARLTON PRIMARY SCHOOL EXTENSIONEleanor Joi Luna & Khara Abates3200107 & s3165771

GROUND FLOOR PLAN1:100

FIRST FLOOR PLAN1:100

SECTION1:50

SECTION1:100

INITIAL IDEAS - SPATIAL CONTINUITY

SITE PLAN1:500

EAST ELEVATION1:100

NORTH ELEVATION1:100

WEST ELEVATION1:100

SOUTH ELEVATION1:100

INSPIRATIONAL PRECEDENT

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Sitting Outdoor Learning Groups Outdoor Learning GroupsBike Parking & Bike Lock Up

Roof Plan 1:250

Elevation1:250

Site Plan 1:500

RAMP RAMP RAMP

Ground Floor Plan 1:250

Precendents Research DevelopmentS I T E P L A N 1 : 5 0 0

S e c t i o n 1 : 20

S E C T I O N A - A1 : 50

E L E V A T I O N 1 : 2 5 0

G R O U N D F L O O R P L A N1 : 1 0 0

BB

AA

CC

T H E L E A R N I N G F E N C E

N i g h t R e n d e r N e o n L i g h t

I n t e r i o r R e n d e r - G a l l e r y

I n t e r i o r R e n d e r - C o m m u n i t y A r e a

I n t e r i o r R e n d e r - G r o u p S t u d y A r e a

E x t e r i or R e n d e r

TAY JE HONG s 3186215FARINA SUNG PUI HAN s 3194327

B A C K T O S C H O O L

S E C T I O N B - B1 : 50

Large Group Area

Personal Study Zone

Main Exhibition Area

Parents Learning Area

Small Learning Group

P R E C E D E N T S

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FLOOR PLAN1:100

SITE PLAN1:1000

DETAILED SECTION AA1:50

WEST ELEVATION1:100

EAST ELEVATION1:100

PRECEDENTS

SITE IMAGES

PROJECT 3 FURNITURES

Soons Nanas

LEE STREET

LEE STREET

LEE STREET

RENDERS

El Croquis Head Of ce, Madrid, Spain, 1998Richard Levene and Fernando Marquez Cecilia

Porters Lodges in the Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands, 1994 - 1996MVRDV

PROJECT 5

VIEW FROM THE WEST SIDE

VIEW FROM THE EAST SIDE

LEE STREET VIEW

LEE STREET VIEW

SOON YEE S3158961AZIANA ROSEDY S3169793

BACK TO SCHOOLlinear learning space

NORTH ELEVATION1:100

SOUTH ELEVATION1:100

SECTION BB1:100

SECTIONAL DIAGRAMS SHOWING DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY1:200

LEE STREET

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SITE---PLAYGROUND PRECENDENT--Reversible destiny INITIAL IDEA

North Carlton Primary School Playground Loft---Japan Combined Play And Study

NSITE PLAN 1:500

BALLPOOL

TRAMPOLINE

PRIVATE LEARNING

NOISE LEARNING

QUIET LEARNING

GALLERY

SLIDING BOARD

MAIN ENTRY

GALLERY ENTRY

A A

B

B

SCHOOL ENTRY

FINAL PRESENTATION STUDIO BY - STUART HARRISON & NICOLA DOVEY XUANQI_YANG S3161612 AKREETY PRADHAN S3191836

BACK TOSCHOOLThis indoor playground is designed with an idea of

learning through play. With a series of learning space

i.e. the narrow corridor; the circle room and the

main play/learn area, it provides an opportunity for

an interactive learning. As learning today are more

community based and through interaction, the main

space allows children to play in the colourful slides,

tunnels, climbs, ball pool, trampoline and more. While

the teachers/guardians and children can use the open

space and the small study areas for monitoring or face

to face learning.

The main space while actively used, the circle room, a

low, quiet space, attached to the main space yet sepa

rated by sliding door can be used as a private learning

space. It can be accessed through the main space as

well as the linear corridor space which can be used as

an exhibition space.

The fa ade also acts as a climbing wall which is made

up of glass (behind) and timber strips at every 10cm

gap. The ground is filled with sand along the perimeter

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

terrace garden that is accessible through the ramp.

The main idea of this design was to use the space to its

maximum limit with dual use of most of the spaces and

a relation to each other.

BALLPOOL

TRAMPOLINE

PRIVATE LEARNING

NOISE LEARNING

QUIET LEARNING

GALLERY

SLIDING BOARD

MAIN ENTRY

GALLERY ENTRY

A A

B

B

SCHOOL ENTRY

RELATIONSHIP TO SITE

Tunnel Attach To School Buliding

MID---CRIT

Connect Facade And Internal.(Facade:Timber And Colour tube.)

PLAN 1:100

WEST ELEVATION 1:100

NORTH ELEVATION 1:50

SECTION AA 1:50

BALLPOOL

TRAMPOLINE

PRIVATE LEARNING

NOISE LEARNING

QUIET LEARNING

GALLERY

SLIDING BOARD

MAIN ENTRY

GALLERY ENTRY

A A

B

B

SCHOOL ENTRY

FINAL PRESENTATION STUDIO BY - STUART HARRISON & NICOLA DOVEY XUANQI_YANG S3161612 AKREETY PRADHAN S3191836

SECTION BB 1:100

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Students:

Jackie OBrienMax HeSophie RussellAlice EdmondsEric NguyenTaz MokSarit MeltzerKhara AbateFarina SungBen TaySoon LeeEleanor LunaNana RosedyYang XuanquiAkreety Pradhan

Thanks to guest critics;

Clare NewtonRowan OpatDaniela Konrad James StaughtonSimon WollanAmmon BerearleyJohn Sadar

Studio Details Title: Back to SchoolTutor: Stuart Harrison & Nicola DoveyPole: Urban EnvironmentsDate: 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