Golden Lane Campus
This new school combined three local existing schools (children's nursery, primary school and special needs school) into one building on a tight urban site with limited outside space.
Each of the three schools has its own external courtyard, with a larger shared play space along the southern boundary which includes a large sand play area and a timber deck surrounding a pond. The roof space includes a ball-court, climbable totem poles and raised planters that could be climbed and sat on.
The design was bright and bold, with contrasting colours to indicate routes through the spaces and to highlight certain areas, for example bright yellow raised strips under windows which open outwards. Large letters were used for door stops as a fun way for children to find their way back into their classrooms.
I was the project lead from the detailed design stage through to completion on site. The construction programme was slightly delayed after a Victorian Cemetery was discovered and archeologists replaced construction workers on site until all the remains had been carefully recorded and removed!
Whilst at Farrer Huxley Associates - completed 2008 - Islington, London - Client: London Borough of Islington - Size: 0.7ha - Value: 650k - Architect: Nicholas Hare Architects