Evelyn Grace Academy

Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
Site Plan

 This is a pretty cool project by Zaha Hadid Architects. This project, located in England, "presents itself as an open, transparent and welcoming addition to the community’s local urban regeneration process."  It seems to me that this project is a type of cohousing for a community's school system.  I think this is a pretty cool idea that may help to improve the level of education in this country.  "Designed for 1200 pupils, the Evelyn Grace Academy maintains the educational principle of smaller “schools-within-schools,” with Evelyn and Grace Middle Schools each housing 270 pupils, and Evelyn and Grace Upper Schools housing 330 pupils per school. Each of these four smaller schools are contained within highly functional spaces that give a distinct identity both internally and externally."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Diagram

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

These spaces present generous environments with maximum levels of natural light, ventilation and understated but durable textures. The collective spaces – shared by all schools – are planned to encourage social communication within each school and eliminate problematic zones that require supervision."

Photo: Luke Hayes

"The academy is effectively split between the ground floor podium of shared facilities with the separate schools above. The schools are organized horizontally to minimize vertical circulation once the students are within their individual schools. The middle schools are spread over the 1st and 2nd floors with the uppers schools both  occupying the 3rd floor."  "Shared facilities that are suited to community out of hours use are located at ground level with some academic shared facilities such as the common halls and science labs located between the schools in the central area on the 2nd & 3rd floor to allow for the flexibility of them to be used either solely by a small school or as shared facilities by more than 1 school, when required."
To see the information presented here, or to read more about this facility, click on the school link below (There are also alot of photos from this facility on the website.
School