The Village School is a replacement building for 235 pupils, 4–19 age range Special Education Needs School for the London Borough of Brent on the site of Grove Park & Hay lane Schools that previously occupied the site.
- The London Borough Of Brent
The project vision was to create a welcoming setting with three ‘villages’ for 4–7, 7–14 and 14–19 aged pupils with a mix of needs, within which specific classrooms would have particular SEN focuses. A village has its own teaching resources, specialist areas and dining. All classrooms have direct access to their own external space. There is a separate Sports Hall (from the main hall) and pool inclusive of Hydrotherapy.
The focus is on vocational training for the older pupils, encouraging their move into the adult world and teaching ‘life skills’ and independence.
The accommodation includes for a Life Skills flat, shop and community cafe partly staffed by pupils. The overall plan had to overcome the existing site slope and join up with the 6th form building to the top of the site.
The main entrance double doors are sliding doors opening automatically upon approach. The doors open into a lobby space with more than sufficient provision for a wheelchair length and aid. A second set of automatic doors include for a card/fob
operated door entry system appropriately positioned to allow clear unobstructed use. All doors to the building include for the correctly positioned manifestation. The lobby reception window allows for both wheelchair and standing visitors to comfortably address the receptionist with a split height counter for wheelchair and standing individuals.
Routes were always kept to a minimum of 2000mm wide to allow wheelchair passing. Sufficient tonal contrast was adhered to between floor, skirting and walls to aid visually impaired individuals. Doors opening outward impeding onto corridors were generally avoided.
The Short Break Centre is a separate but integral part of the overall site. The school and Short Break Centre were designed with a clear logical layout in mind to assist way finding. Clear designation of areas is defined by both colour within the signage and symbols to aid in the comprehension of the building. A clear way finding strategy was provided as part of the overall building design. Signs and layout graphics were placed in logical positions and carefully sited and well lit to help orientate visitors and users of the school. Signs were kept simple and short, consistent in their use of typeface, using sentence case with a prescribed graphic and colour. The different villages and areas adopted different colours, but always with backgrounds, sufficient in tonal variations and contrasts from the written word and with a matt finish. Where required, pictures and objects were employed to help further orientate individuals. Signs were placed at wheelchair readable heights and to an appropriate font size.
BSc (Arch) BArch (Hons) RIBA RIAS ARB
