Client: Orleans Infant School
Location: London
Construction Value: £2 million
DLA have been working with the school for the last 3 years on the expansion proposals to turn Orleans from an Infant School into Primary School. We have worked closely with the school teachers, Chair of Governors, Planning officers and the Design Team, to find the most appropriate solution. We have also consulted extensively with local residents.
In order to maximise the resource of the limited external environment a number of creative solutions have been developed to enhance the external spaces around the school. The landscape is designed to match the existing style, enhance existing spaces and provide new landscaped areas to facilitate learning.
The car park has been reconfigured to make way for the Nursery outdoor play area and Tranquil Garden. In addition, the Nursery garden is a dedicated secure outdoor space directly accessible from the new Nursery building.
The main outdoor play surface in the Nursery outdoor space is soft safety surfacing. Grass banking encloses the main play area and a Tranquil Garden area with semi mature trees forms a quiet area for outdoor learning.
As part of the reorganisation the school are relocating the 'trim trail' outdoor play equipment from the east of the site to the southern boundary.
A timber deck covered walkway acts as an 'outdoor corridor' linking all the classrooms together. Directly outside each new classroom on the eastern boundary the decking extends to create a semi-circular outdoor teaching space. Existing raised planted areas and palisade fencing will be adapted and extended to accommodate two of the new outdoor teaching areas.
