Creative Spaces: Benefits of an eco-classroom

Too often, opportunities for children to learn art, photography and music are compromised by the lack of a practical space designed to accommodate their spontaneity and creativity. As bespoke creative studios for art, photography and music, our eco-classrooms have given schools across the country the tranquillity and inspiration their closeness to nature provides, as well as its effect on students’ concentration, self-discipline and behaviour, as proven by Child Psychologist Aric Sigman.

How can using a Learning Escape as a creative space benefit pupils?

• To maximise natural inspiration for creative students, we can include a living sedum roof and sun pipes, which capture daylight and reduce the need for artificial lighting – providing perfect working conditions for budding artists.
• Environmental Citizenship is an important part of the curriculum, and we hope to encourage students’ passion for their natural surroundings by using sustainable timber from forests involved in reforestation and conservation projects. Our combinations of natural materials add a sensory experience to the school’s working environment, encouraging pupils to think, touch, smell and see beyond the four walls of the classroom.

To accommodate their “Outstanding” Art department and growing intake of post-16 pupils, Woolwich Polytechnic commissioned our largest Escape yet; a two-storey building where pupils could benefit from the natural inspiration of their school grounds. The additional space, with its eco-friendly structure, produced a “solid link” between school and environment, with full length windows maximising exposure to both natural lighting and views of nature from all angles.

• We appreciate that clients are often concerned about the distraction the construction will cause their students and school routine, and this can put them off expanding their creative spaces. Building projects have a reputation as loud, time-consuming and disruptive so, to minimise disruption to your creative practice, our experienced team adhere to the ‘low impact’ build principal. This means no heavy duty equipment is used on site, and that constructions are scheduled around the timetables and individual needs of each school.

The children of Rosslyn Park Primary School love their eco-classroom, designed as a space where nature can be incorporated into learning and playing, proving that separating creative subjects from a traditional classroom environment allows greater engagement with natural patterns, materials and scenery. It also provides a space for students to observe and appreciate their outdoor space whether in glorious sunshine, or sudden downpours!

Building a creative space is a desire for many schools, but we understand that it is a project budgets are not always readily available for. Searching through terms and conditions for available funding is an off-putting task, so our funding report aims to get you started by outlining and explaining the possible options. We strive to complete every build on time and within budget, and our Escape’s 50—year lifespan reduces aftercare costs by providing a sustainable space requiring little maintenance. To talk through any funding options, please give us a call on 0800 917 7726.