Bradford demonstration site

School Works was invited to work with schools within Phase 1 of Bradford’s Buildings Schools Pathfinder proposal. This first phase was awarded DfES indicative credit in February 2004 to rebuild Tong School and Sports College, Salt Grammar School and Buttershaw High School and the School Works participatory process took place in February and March 2004.

Click here to listen to the BCB Radio feature on the Bradford Design Festival including interviews with managing director, Sharon Wright and Bradford pupils. You will need Real Audio player installed to listen to this interview. (Clip courtesy BCB Radio 96.7 FM)

Inspirational Tour

Leeds city centre was chosen as the tour location in order to give participants an opportunity to experience some unfamiliar architecture. 140 participants were taken on a tour of architecture in Leeds over two days. Locations included

• The Light Centre
• Millennium Square
• Leeds Town Hall
• Civic Hall (Council Chambers)
• Victoria Quarter
• Prince’s Exchange
• City Square
• Leeds University
• Henry Moore Institute

Natural lighting

Circulation solutions

Street furniture art

Design Festival

40 half-day workshops were held over two days at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Lister Park, Bradford. This was the first Design Festival we have held in a venue that was open to the public throughout and it gave the event a unique feel.

Cartwright Hall gallery

The Telegraph and Argus donated paper

What did we learn?

Some of the key priorities for the new school included:

A good place to learn and work

Schools should offer personal, fun spaces for pupils with places to socialise and play. Spaces should be flexible accommodating different activities and different learning styles where needed. Teaching staffs require personal work bases with attached administration areas and good storage whilst administrative staffs require central, secure and spacious administrative facilities and all staff require well designed staffrooms.

Outside spaces

Areas around the school should include a good variety of spaces including quiet places to sit and places for learning. Spaces also need to reflect the values of the local community and preserve a sense of local history.

Working together

3D modelling

School design

The school should create a sense of accessibility and inclusion and celebrate the community within which it exists. The schools should be designed to be both inspirational and to give a feeling of space. They needed to incorporate excellent facilities for performing arts and sport activities and have wide corridors, so every one can move around safely and quickly. Well-designed seating in both learning spaces and social areas was seen as important. Pupil participants in particular wanted both formal and informal learning spaces with areas to do homework together in breaks and lunchtimes whilst both pupils and staff recognised the need for ICT in the learning spaces, good security (CCTV, swipe cards for example) and good storage. Designs also needed to consider access to drinking water throughout the day.

Environment

Schools should be designed with efficient and environmentally friendly heating and ventilation and use as much natural light as possible. They should also be able to demonstrate sustainable living techniques to the wider community and possibly produce and sell such things as recycled paper and organic farm produce.