The Village St Stephens Primary School by CODA Studio
Perth, Australia
Category
Education
Year
2016
Project Size
Small
Firm name
CODA Studio
Firm address
Perth, Australia
Photographer
Peter Bennetts

Project Description

DESIGN AWARDS ENTRY CONTENT: *Design Story* Our response was based on one big move: a shift of the library into an underutilized (and uninspiring) atrium space. The freed space was adapted to become a flexible learning space for years 5 and 6. The design of the new library hub was crafted around the idea of a village, pitched at the scale of a child yet inviting to the entire school community. Despite the interior of the atrium being ‘landlocked’, we were able to build a story about village life through the creation of four distinct areas: the village green, town square, the street and the market. Village life is implied through the use of ready-made, lightweight objects, purpose-built ‘market carts’ for the mobile library displays, and a town amphitheater complete with a slide. The street space creates a backdrop to smaller, more intimate areas nestled behind arched openings. Trees are reimagined as charging stations. In all of this we sought to select materials that were both robust and recyclable. Rather than using the standard palette of plasterboard and laminate, we sought materials that were recyclable, textured and, once fabricated, spoke of how they were made. One of the most inclusive aspects of the project was the creation of milk-crate seating for the library space. The students painted plywood tops, rapidly turning the crates into useful, beautiful and adaptable seating. Importantly, the space can quickly change in scale depending on the use. It’s able to comfortably accommodate an assembly but also provides more private spaces for individuals and small learning groups. *Flooring’s Contribution to Design Objectives* In this project, the ground plane became the key way in which we communicated the different themed areas of the space. Working closely with the school, we balanced these thematic areas against their use, the need for permanency of some structures and the flexibility of others. We used flooring, laid in a bespoke geometric pattern, to imagine the view of the town from the air, with each colour palette defining a different space. Subtle differences in tones added richness and depth. We felt that the carpet held the key to defining the space but also allowing flexibility in that it also allows boundary lines to be blurred. Spill over is easy, and encouraged, as is formal adherence to the colour-blocked zones should the circumstance present itself. The choice is the school’s, or more often the student’s. We sought to balance bold colours with neutral greys, allowing the eye to settle. In the village green we used greens in reference to a festive picnic setting; the town square was more subdued, with emphasis placed on the public amphitheater; the market area was defined by shades of blue with mobile market library carts and crates peppering the space; whilst, the streets were ‘paved’ in yellow and gold. What made our job as designers so much easier, was the ability to order our carpets in small quantities. Because of this, we were able to create a colour palette in a variety of shades adding to the richness of the project. *Sustainability/Environmental Goals* The project marks an important cultural shift for the school in its delivery of teaching and use of the learning environment. Students, for the first time, are encouraged to take ownership of their environment through flexible, self-determining design. The client sought the adaptive reuse of an existing 1980’s dark face brick buildings, to create a flexible and open library, learning space and community hub for primary school students. They saw this project as key to communicating to the broader community a strong shift toward progressive teaching methods, flexibility and a connection with the natural environment. The school expressed a desire to more fully integrate the library into the fabric of the school, and to create a more dynamic way for books to be displayed and accessed by students. Previous, small scale, shifts had peppered the school campus in the year leading up to this project, for instance, the introduction of veggie gardens and even some school chickens! This project however sought to tackle, on a modest budget, the considerable disconnect between the existing buildings, their material choice, colour and configuration, and the desire to embrace an inside/outside dialogue.