Helping pupils to relate to the environment around them was a key consideration in the design and construction of a new specialist centre for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at Rowdeford School in Wiltshire.
The new Prospect Centre is the only specialist secondary centre in the county. Lying within the curtilage of the existing school, a Grade II listed building, it replaced mobile classrooms, which had been used by the school since 2003 when the centre first opened.
ASD is a lifelong disorder and as such manifests in different ways. Everyone with the condition has difficulty in making sense of the world.
Children with autism find changes to routine and social interaction difficult. They are also very sensitive to external stimuli, finding it hard to block out noise or visual information which can affect their concentration and behaviour.
To address these issues, architects Batterham Matthews of Bath put a great deal of thought into designing a building with a secure protective feel whilst relating to the historic landscape. The architectural practice was novated to Beard under a design and build contract. Beard was conscientious in ensuring that there was ample separation between the site and neighbouring school to lessen the impact of construction activities on the children.
To protect the children from outside distractions, the building is arranged around a courtyard with a lime tree at its centre. It comprises of two main elements: a two storey sports/community hall and single storey teaching area including: 6 classrooms; staff offices; a food/recreation area; a therapy room and a sensory room. The sports and teaching facilities are joined by a circular drum, which forms a public entrance.
The sense of protection and enclosure is further enhanced by the outer walls, which have been constructed using brick with a rendered middle section. The treatment of the inner walls to the courtyard is softer to create a sense of calm and emotional refuge. Walls have been clad with cedar and the joinery including the windows have been manufactured using Douglas fir.
Standing seam aluminium mono pitch roofs float above glulam timber beams, which are supported by load-bearing masonry walls. The roof decks of the sports hall and teaching areas slope down into the intimacy of the courtyard, across which the children enter the building.
Uniform classroom layouts have been used to create an orderly and legible interior, with display areas kept to a minimum and neutral colours used to reduce visual information. Adjacent to each classroom is an observation room, which is entered via a separate doorway. These rooms enable staff, educational psychologists, speech therapists and other professionals to observe behaviour. Time-out rooms have also been provided where children can go if they are feeling anxious.
Challenges and Solutions
Designing and implementing the right level of acoustic performance to reduce sound between spaces was also a key element of the brief. Beard appointed acoustic consultants Flemming & Barron who advised on the acoustic properties and the thermal insulation of materials required.
Many children find a change of environment very distressing. During the construction stage, Stephen Ford, Beard's Site Manager, helped the children to understand their new environment by giving them tours around the building before it was complete.
"The children and teachers love their new building, which has enhanced the morale of both pupils and staff. The environment is calm and peaceful and built for purpose. The school was very impressed with Beard's performance who worked in close collaboration with the architect and the Wiltshire County Council."
Ingrid Lancaster-Gaye, Headteacher, Rowdeford School
