Site Considerations
4 04 2007One aspect of our ultimate design process will be the decision as to where on the site the new school will be located. At three student meetings with architects during the last month, two main options were forthcoming. Option A places the school building on the west of the site, option B places the building next to Hale Road.
The exercise also included placing an all weather pitch, running track and rugby pitch on the site. The school outline is based on a sample from DfES architects.
Those locations may benefit from a new access point onto Hale Road and the aspect of the site can help determine the best position of several features.
There was much discussion of the needs and preferences of neighbours and community views of where the school should be placed.
The main purpose of the discussion was to raise awareness of the size and scale of the major elements which have been suggested so far and to give students an insight into the various restrictions affecting the site.
Where do you think the school building should be situated? Should we aim to have a new entrance from Hale Road, or continue to make use of our existing drive? The sketches demonstrate that our site is not exhaustive, have we got room for a running track and athletics field? Could this also be a rugby pitch? Playgrounds and car parks are not shown on the sketches, but are important. Where should they be located?
Please note these sketches are concepts for discussion purposes only. No plans currently exist for the new school.
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I think the school should be west Facing as you will catch the most amount of sunlight and neighbours around the school will be pleased as it gives distance from the school.
From
A local Neighbour near the development.
Access from Hale Road will increase the ammount of traffic on that section of the road and there must be bays to get the buses off the road. This will need some thought as it could have a big impact on the local landscape.
Also give some thought to pedestrians trying to cross the road opposite the rugby pitch. It is not always easy now at busy times.
I think that the building block should be away from the main road. Leaving the main rugby pitch where it is provides a pleasant open space as one is approaching the school. I like option B suggested by the students.
I prefer Option B, as it preserves the great open space around the rugby first team and cricket pitches, one of the great assets and attractions of the school site.
However I can fully understand the neighbours’ anxiety re option B at the moment. Is it decided how many storeys/how many feet high the school will be? Will the two closest neighbouring properties feel overlooked in option B? Could we include a planted embankment to provide them with some screening ?
Aesthetically, will the design and building materials be of a standard and quality to be in keeping with the surrounding architecture? Ideally traditional-style elevations including a pitched slate roof and good quality red brick facing with traditional detailing would look right for the site and the surroundings. Cheap materials are always a false economy in the long term.
Neither diagram seems to include a playground. Boys need an expanse of mud-free tarmac somewhere for breaktime winter football - I suggest that it would be a higher priority than a nature area.
Finally, although we all love nature, I think that designing in ponds in a quiet corner of the school site may not be a good idea and is only going to invite problems from the year 11s every May/June!
Good luck with the project
I think the plans are brilliant but a playground is very esential to the new school.Furthermore I dont think a nature area would interest many pupils and could be used as a playground.
good luck with the build.
hope the final product is good!
: )
In response to Tony’s earlier comment I would like to challenge but also confirm some of the issues raised.
Firstly, I feel that a “traditional” style building with red bricks and pittched slate roof would be a huge compromise on what the pathfinder project should represent. We are building (well may be in the far, far future) a modern school, for a modern Hale. Trying to mock old-fashioned buildings would end up being far worse than embracing modernity. Also this runs the risk of making the school like a tacky development of flats. Buildings are allowed to be high quality without being red brick/slate! Yes, a modern building is definately the way forward for our school.
As previously suggested the nature area is likely to fail. I’m sorry to sound pessimistic but this area will get little use other than harbouring litter and being a smoker’s area. Think about the wood intween the church and the playing fields, has anyone actually been in there?
As for the placing of the school, both option A and B have their advantages and disadventages. Although I think that A would provide the best soloution. It is next to the road, but we could provide at least some distance between the road and the building. Also, placing the school in direct view would petroud on the houses behind esspecially above ground floor. Placing the building here would be met with a lot of opposition by residents conserning planning. This would delay the already snail-paced work and may even force the school to move to option A anyway.
A bus port would definitely be necessary as would at least one playground-the playground should not be near the road