Interior environments: Thanks to the positioning of the classrooms around the perimeter of the school building the potential for maximum natural lighting and ventilation strategies were realised in the majority of the classrooms. Upon seeing the classrooms first hand it was clear that the amount of daylight was tremendous, even in the classrooms on the lower ground floor alongside the ‘role play area’ have such a large amount of natural daylight that enters the classroom from both sides, this is undeniably helped due to the plain white finish of the walls reflecting and dispersing the light throughout the space. These classrooms in particular attempt to maximise the ventilation through it via a folding glass wall that creates the divide between the two areas, once parted and the doors to the exterior opened the ventilation in through the space creates a fresh environment. Some newer schools have a range of automatic systems such as solar shading devices and windows that open when a temperature reaches a peak, St Silas made it a priority that this technology not be present in their new school “We stressed to the architects to keep it all simple, so for instance we can open the windows, they’re not on a motor, its aspects like that we insisted we would do ourselves, so yes they are well ventilated and thermally comfortable. As always with new buildings there are hot and cold spots but they are much better than they were and it is very well lit.” (Hinchliff interview, Line 55) Circulation Spaces: St Silas specified that as many classrooms as possible would open up to the outside which subsequently meant that the corridor space that would have been specified for a standard school became unnecessary as a corridor. “...all of it that was allotted has ended up in that double height area (role play) which in itself is not actually a corridor, its a flexible learning space...” (Hinchliff interview, Line 64) she also stated that “with the corridor space being used in this way there is next to no issue with the movement around school in that way.” (Hinchliff interview, Line 68) There are two staircases within the building, negating the ‘performance stairs’, are used as the internal vertical circulation though the exterior staircase linking the outdoor levels is quite often used also which provides a change in the norm of circulatory movement. 34
Figure 21: Year 6 Classroom on the First floor
Figure 22: maximum natural light using two orientations
Figure 23: learning in the role play area
Standardised Schools or Bespoke Design?