The 'Heart' of the School

In 2002/3 the DCSF (UK Government Department for Children, Schools and Families) commissioned and published eleven Exemplar School designs. Walters and Cohen's exemplar primary school has subsequently proved popular for its emphasis on sustainability, flexibility and the multifunctional 'heart' of the school. The first project to 'build out' our exemplar design was Redbrook Hayes School. Thorough consultation with staff, pupils and parents ensured that this building was a unique response to this particular client, the end-users and the site. The building has three principal elements: - a community zone in the form of a branch library - an admin block - the main teaching wing, including the heart of the school The heart of the school is a practical and versatile space where many different activities can take place. Each classroom opens directly onto the heart, giving pupils a unique environment in which to learn, quite distinct from the traditional classroom. Headteacher Mandy Chaganis says: "Children move freely and safely from their classrooms to the heart and to their outdoor classrooms, and I don't think we could go back to the limitations of our old school." The innovative design also has circulation routes through the heart, avoiding the need for corridors. The heart benefits from natural lighting from clerestory windows and natural ventilation from airducts fed from beneath the school. Raised floors provide flexibility for services and ICT locations. The teaching staff at Redbrook Hayes wanted to place an emphasis on the arts, so the heart includes a lighting rig. There is also a cooking area, wet space, library, small spaces for socializing and group or individual study, ICT area, and display space outside each classroom. The heart is used for before- and after-school clubs, and by community groups.