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Ancoats PCT  Manchester Stephenson Bell |
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                                        The new Ellacombe Primary School’s Foundation Unit in Torquay by Kay Elliott Architects is the first phase of a £2.75M Masterplan for the site and provides a fun learning environment for children aged two to five. The £0.6M Foundation Unit consists of a double-height open-plan teaching area connected directly to a green walled garden with extensive all-weather cover.The site was remodeled to respond to a reduction in planned admission for the younger years and this independent building was designed for an underused area of the grounds, with provision made for future connection to the main school. The ground floor of the building is largely open-plan teaching space and the southern façade includes sliding doors accessing outdoor teaching areas. Blurring the distinction between indoor and outdoor learning was important to the design. The outdoor area resembles a walled secret garden and contains trees and plants along with built-in lesson planning including rhomboid seating platforms for group activities.Environmental sustainability was important; the building provides maximum natural lighting through a large south-facing glazed façade with a passive ventilation design via wind catchers on a highly insulated roof. |
