Case study: Hall Orchard Primary
August, 2009
Lynne Roberts initially met Mrs Nadine Roodhouse, foundation teacher, to discuss the requirements for the foundation unit outdoor space, which was very bleak and the fabric of which was in a very poor condition. The tarmac was old, breaking up and uneven, with unlevel flagstones, overgrown shrub beds and an abundance of inspection covers. There was no fixed apparatus or seating. Nadine had seen two other companies who were happy to supply and fit playground apparatus but were unable to deal with the extensive ground works required…
The Brief: Lynne initially met with Nadine to discuss the brief and appraise the site. There were five key requirements:
- the existing fence to be removed and the boundary extended up to the drive, incorporating an area of grass banking with mature trees
- a safe thoroughfare to be provided for junior pupils who historically traveled via the foundation play space to reach their own playground
- the whole area to be leveled and resurfaced
- a range of apparatus and seating to be supplied and fitted
- a large canopy to be fitted
Ian Roberts, lead designer at Outdoor and Play said: “Although the site was in a very poor state, this was simple to overcome. The main issue for me was access provision for the older children. I was concerned that a dedicated footpath would take up too much space and budget. Thinking around this took a long time, but the solution was perfect; a system of double fencing and a series of two-way gates allowed for controlled access to the footpath. In this way the primary children had a safe through route when required and the foundation children had an extended play space at all other times. The existing trees were retained; their position set the shape for the footpath and I used raised board edging round them to create a Bamboo Jungle, planting and digging beds. The footpath thus provided an exciting nature and discovery space for the foundation children and a fun cycling route. The hexagonal shape of the climbing unit area formed the basis for the rest of the playground design, allowing for a versatile and fluid space.”
Work was carried out over the summer holidays and has been a very fulfilling experience, requiring very careful planning to get the sequence and flow of works right. Outdoor and Play are very proud of the finished result which is a really good example of a practical, functional and attractive playground.
