Splash Pool Room | Stubbin Wood School | Derbyshire
SIX AD have worked hard to ensure that pupils at Stubbin Wood School receive a fully featured Splash Pool Room, despite unavoidable project delays.
Brief
In November 2009, SIX AD made contact with Stubbin Wood School regarding their proposed Splash Pool project. Over the following months, SIX AD liaised with the School in order to define the brief and propose appropriate fees for the project. The main aspects of the brief are as follows :
- Carefully strip out the existing inadequate splash pool provision
- Form a new Splash Pool Room in the existing external courtyard
- The new pool room will have provision for staff and pupil changing
- The pool will cater for nursery age children
SIX AD assembled a design team and submitted a fee proposal to Stubbin Wood School. SIX AD were appointed to undertake duties as Architect and Project Manager in January 2010.
Challenges + Opportunities
There were many unknown factors relating to the construction and structure of the existing building in the early stages of the project. The design team were able to identify the Clasp Mark V pre-fabricated construction, by Scape System Build Ltd. SIX AD visited the Derbyshire County Council archives to locate records of the as-built condition and in turn contacted Scape to obtain record drawings of the generic Clasp Mark V system
Over recent years, Stubbin Wood School have saved funds from a variety of sources in order to commission the project. While amassing provision for the project is a significant achievement in itself, the brief is ambitious for the funds that are available. SIX AD have worked closely with the School and the design team to establish project parameters as well as opportunities and constraints. The projects validity is rooted firmly in whether sufficient funds will be available and as such, cost certainty has been sought from an early stage.
By far the most significant challenge is in ensuring that the proposed Splash Pool is not only fit for purpose, but provides a significantly greater number of potential pool sessions for pupils. In order to meet these criteria, the associated pool costs are a more than half of the project budget; this places considerable pressure on balancing other elements of construction costs, as well as relevant project fees.
Design
From the earliest stage in the project, it was clear to SIX AD that Stubbin Wood School wanted to build this facility around the needs of the children that would use the pool. This approach has been fully adopted by SIX AD and we have been committed to ensuring that the pool provides the best possible user experience for the children.
Particular attention has been given to two key factors, i.e. the use of daylight throughout the associated rooms; providing unencumbered spaces to allow greater freedom for pupils with impaired mobility.
Daylight within the main space is brought in via a curtain wall screen, containing coloured glass panels – the coloured glazing serves dual function of providing a greater degree of privacy, as well as offering sensory stimulation for the service users. Clerestory glazing to the roof perimeter allows daylight to enter the room throughout the year.
The pool itself is designed as a ‘Splash Pool’ – that is not to provide water deep enough for swimming, but deeper than would be provided by a paddling pool. The Splash Pool depth can be varied according to the age and ability of the children using it, by means of an artificial floor. The new pool has a separate plant room, which allows the pool to be mechanically heated and filtered, whereas the old pool had to be emptied and refilled after each session.
Services
SIX AD were appointed to fulfill the duties set out in our Full Architectural Service, in addition to an extended role as Project Manager. Our service includes :-
Architect
Feasibility. Advising the Client. Directing the design process (concept - detailed design - production). Inviting tenders. Contract Administration.
Project Manager
Brief development. Project Plan. Advising on procurement. Consultant appointment. Consultations with Local Authorities. Monthly reports to Client. Evaluating tenders. Organising as built information.
Feedback
Lee Floyd, Head Teacher at Stubbin Wood School offers his feeback.
SIX AD : Did you have clear ideas about the design of your new space at the start and how did SIX AD help you shape those design ideas?
LF : We began the process by stipulating the functions that the new space would have to perform and what it was expected to achieve. Given that, the architect was able to design several possible solutions. These we consulted on with staff and the SIX AD team arrived at our first design. Through VE [value engineering] we agreed the possible cost savings with valuable advice from our architect who was able to offer suggestions about the longer term benefit of certain installations and finishes, for example, guarding against short term savings that would actually cost more in the long run.
SIX AD : Did you feel sufficiently supported / guided through the process?
LF : We received clear and unambiguous advice right from the start, particularly important as we have no construction expertise and have found liaison with the various professional and County bodies difficult in the past. Essential for us was the services of a skilled and knowledgeable individual who could interpolate alongside responses from disinterested participants (especially the local authority) and advise us of the implications of suggested particular courses of action.
SIX AD : Are you happy with the result to date?
LF : Certainly we are happy with the stage we have reached; we feel that the scheme as designed and costed is ready to ‘go’ and look forward to the beginning of the installation.
SIX AD : Would you recommend SIX AD’s services?
LF : Yes, unquestionably.
Lee Floyd
Head Teacher | Stubbin Wood School
