At Prestwood a new infant building provides the school's children with much joy (with little cost)

 

Designed by De Rosee Sa, the new dining 'Little Hall' at Prestwood Infant School was designed with much thought and with careful consideration for keeping costs down.

Taking their inspiration from Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox  the building was conceived as "a little underground village, with streets and houses on each side - separate houses for badges and moles and rabbits and weasels and foxes."

The architects cleverly kept costs down by using materials for both effect and durability whilst not being extortionate in their cost.



Externally, western red cedar battens stained in five graduating colours are fixed (via a horizontal batten) to white polycarbonate corrugate sheet. The profile (silhouette) of this facade matches the roof pitches of the existing school buildings. Making a nice link of the old with the new.

Internally six skylights allow for the inside spaces to be lit naturally, while stained ply is used for both the internal linings (walls and ceilings) and for the custom-built cabinetry.

In keeping with the budget constraints, the structural concrete building pad (foundation) is used also as the internal floor surface. Polished smooth and sealed.

This will also work nicely as a means to store (and slowly distribute) heat maintaining a moderate internal temperature.

The simple yet well-thought design has considerably impressed the teachers and children.

As Nicola Ratter the Head Teacher says "...Children will always learn more effectively if they are inspired and happy [and] 'The Little Hall' really does this for our children at Prestwood Infant School'.

Via ArchDaily.