Image Credit : Photos by Michael Nicholson
Project Overview
In 2017, JDH Architects were engaged by the NSW Government to bring to life plans for the expansion and renovation of the William Stimson Public School. We worked with Johnstaff as project managers and Hutchinson Buildersl. The new space opened to wide acclaim on the first day of term one in 2020.
William Stimson Public School’s facilities now match its educational vision, achieved by maximising open space and enhancing visual and physical connections to nature throughout. JDH integrated this educational vision into a learning landscape that truly celebrates the excellent teaching, learning and caring that occurs within.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
JDH Architects
Johnstaff Project Managers
Hutchinson Builders
Project Brief
The initial scope was to provide 12 new learning areas and four specialist learning units, refurbish the administration space and integrate landscape and external play areas, all within the Department of Education’s framework for Future Focused Teaching and Learning.
As a result of extensive consultation with the school and the community the vision was set to develop learning environments that were flexible, welcoming to the community and that respected nature and the natural environment. We achieved this through high-quality, future-focused, innovative, state of the art learning environments that merged seamlessly with community and nature.
The creative, exploratory design provides reconfigurable learning spaces in a holistic environment. 14 new learning areas over three levels are clustered around break-out spaces, with connection and visibility enhancing all activities. Attractive, practical maker spaces and presentation areas inspire communication, collaboration and curiosity, while alcoves and tiered-seating provide areas for quiet and retreat.
Specialised learning units were prioritised with accessibility to external play areas with natural colour schemes that create a pleasant and calming environment for all. The new sensory garden and trees continue to stimulate amidst a seamless transition between outdoor and indoor learning.
The refurbished administration area and welcoming public entrance showcase the school and foster a sense of inclusion, diversity and community. Building materials created seamless connectivity to existing facilities, respecting old and new, and reflect the playful and inquisitive aspects of learning.
Project Innovation/Need
Our conceptual response to the student’s needs for the space invoked exploration and connection to learning through colour. Colour is often viewed as simply the aesthetic ‘icing on the cake’ in design, but the past decade has seen enhanced interest in research in the area of colour and psychological functioning.
Psychological functioning is the ability of someone to achieve their goals within themselves and the external environment. It includes an individual's behaviours, emotions, social skills and overall mental health. With this understanding, and guided by the theories of Sally Augustin, an environmental psychologist, we tested emotional triggers of colour within a prototype space.
We gathered information on how colour impacts students’ emotional health and wellbeing. We took this colour theory evidence and combined it with biophilic design principles to incorporate natural materials and patterns from nature and design spaces that will positively affect student attention, concentration and emotional health and wellbeing.
Design Challenge
Our key design challenge was to create visible links between pedagogy and place. Flexibility of space was crucial to delivering the school’s educational vision. So we conceptualised a floor plan to adapt to different pedagogical models over different time scales.
In practice this meant designing learning spaces in pairs connected to shared facilities and generous movement areas. Each is able to expand or contract depending on group size and learning requirements. The footprint can be configured into numerous different spaces, catering to the individual learner, small groups, single or paired classes or even a whole year group. There are also quiet areas adjacent to withdrawal areas and a variety of flexible furniture options across the space to suit different types of learners and maximise learning.
In addition to the standard learning hub specialist support areas, we also created diverse, attractive and accessible spaces to learn, play and socialise and that cater to the needs of students with learning disabilities. This was vital for a school where accessibility, equity and student emotional wellbeing are key. This includes new pathways and ramps integrated into the landscape to foster inclusion for all.
The support building and administration showcase the school creating a sense of place in the community. The specialist learning units take advantage of connectivity to the neighbouring park and views and provide a pleasant, calming environment for students. The large ground floor undercroft area creates opportunities for parents and community to gather as well.
Sustainability
In designing the school’s buildings and grounds, we employed integrated design principles to achieve the right balance among sustainability, cost and durability. The environmental quality of the spaces was guided by our research into optimum light, acoustic levels, learning temperatures and air quality to ensure the productivity and health of students and teachers throughout the day. Because of this work, the building was awarded the 5 Star Green Star rating, which we’re very proud of.
The building respects and responds to the environment through its orientation, use of sun shading, capture and re-use of rainwater and solar power. Our post occupancy review shows that the new building saves energy and water, costs less to operate, produces less waste and has more satisfied students than other buildings on site.
The seamless integration of internal and external space connects students to nature and acts as a didactic tool to teach occupants about the environment. We incorporated a sensory garden, which, unlike traditional display gardens, draw the student into touch, smell and actively experience with all their senses, particularly wonderful for children with severe learning disabilities.
With sustainability as a focus, we created diverse, attractive, accessible spaces to learn, play and socialise. These areas were designed to inspire communication and collaboration, with acoustics in the smaller rooms supporting students to immerse themselves in quiet, focused work. We incorporated alcoves and tiered seating to offer privacy and retreat for students, whist still in teachers line of site.
Interior Design - Public or Institutional
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes and aesthetic presentation. Consideration also given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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