Visit to St Therese Primary School, Torquay

Today i visited St Therese Primary School, just over the road from the Torquay Primary School. St Therese is a catholic school, and is alot smaller than Torquay Primary, having only 350 students.

I was shown around the classrooms and grounds by 3 helpful students, who gave me the rundown of what took place were, and how the school operated.

The grade 5-6 building has 4 classrooms surrounding a central communal area. This central area is used for when all classes join for meetings etc. The entire space can turn into one big room by sliding the doors back. Mr Hindson, a grade 5-6 teacher, said that this shared learning environment means that students have to learn to be respectful to others in terms of keeping quite and sharing spaces.

Each prep-2 classroom is set up in a similar manner, but they also have an outdoor courtyard for each classroom, which includes herb gardens and worm farms.

Then i had a meeting with Mrs Audley, the schools principle. She explained the proposed new development for the school were they are getting rid of the old portables that the grade 3-4s currently use. Mrs Audley lead me through the brief she had given the architect and it was interesting to note her view of how the school should be designed and operated. Mrs Audley said that the schools primary function is to provide spaces that enhance learning and interaction with other students.

Link to YouTube Clip

Diagrams

Diagrams show the solar access, the ventilation and the water catchment process of our design.

3D Images

Model photos

These are the images of the completed model. Over 1200 triangles fitted into place.

The School Portable Plan

We kept the plan fairly simple. Entry through a central core which is light by a skylight running above. The core contains the wet area and lockers as well as the teachers office. The classrooms are off to each side and contain storage running around the perimeter.

Student desk research

Building Envelope Research - Sean Godsell's Design Hub

While researching building envelopes I thought instantly of the article I read a few months ago about Sean Godsell's new RMIT building in the city, named the Design Hub. Although it is on a much larger scale than a school classroom, the idea of having a 'smart skin' that enhances many aspects of the environment is very much relevant to our brief. The building is also very dynamic in the sense that it is designed to incorporate new technologies that the future holds, meaning it is not set in time.

Some facts of Sean Godsell's Design Hub:
- the 'smart skin' that is made up of 16,000 sandblasted glass cells, some of which have photo voltaic collectors to harness solar power. Cells track the sun via the building automation system to help shade and power the building.
- When it rains, the sandblasted surface becomes transparent, adding further dimension to the dynamic nature of the facade
- Users have the option of introducing filtered fresh air through the floor to their work area.
- the inner skin has a high-performance, double-glazed layer

for an article on the building, check out:

http://www.rmit.com.au/browse;ID=gh38p3aerktl

Flexibility

Just though this exert from Robert Kronenburg's book 'Flexible: Architects responce to change' was highly relevant to our breif:

'There was a time, not too long ago in evolutionary terms, when our existence was based on our capacity for movement and adaptability; indeed it is to this that we owe our survival as a species...flexilility is once again becoming a priority in human development and that technological, social and economic changes are forcing, or a least encouraging, a new form of nomadic existence...'

Alan Wexler's Crate House

Originally trained as an architect, new york artist alan wexler questions our relationship with space and place in the modern home, and quesitons what we need in order to be comfortable. I found this sculpture interesting as last week our group were brainstorming the idea of having a central 'core' with other sections pulling or folding outwards.

http://www.allanwexlerstudio.com/architecture/project/12.html

Eduard Bohtlingk's Markies

Simple trailer form contains all the domestic servicing facilities, and once the unit arrives at its destination the walls fold down to make floors and the new space is enclosed by a concertina-like membrane structure that is transparent on the living side of the dwelling and translucent on the sleeping side. beds, chairs and tables also fold down from the central compartment.

micro compact home

A team of researchers based in london are creating these minimal shelters designed for flexible living, namely students on university campuses. The m-ch, now in use and available in Europe, combines techniques for high quality compact 'living' spaces deployed in aircrafts, yachts and cars.