Sanctuary Design Competition

Everyone can remember that moment when they failed a test or fell out with a friend, it seems like the end of the world. While in school those moments were very difficult and often, we felt like we wanted to take a break from the rush of the school.

Let it grow is a space to retreat which accommodates for a range of feelings that children can  experience while in school - both positive and negative. This simple unit-based design creates a variety of spaces with different levels of privacy addressing the need of all children.

Private pods are reliefs from the every day life of school, allowing children to be on their own creating a Reflective Space. The semi-public area in between the mounds is a place to interact with nature, which has a calming, refreshing effect on the children acting as a Transitional Space. The public area encourages interactions between kids from the school promoting peer support and collaborative activities, creating a strong sense of school community, constructing Interactive Space. The area behind the structure promotes exploration of existing nature forming Exploration Space.  All the areas overlap to form a natural sanctuary where all the kids are welcome and feel comfortable.

The semi-open  design  promotes  outdoor  activities,  curiosity and  appreciation of  nature. There is not a right or wrong way to use the structure, it is all left to the children’s imagination and interpretation.  Through simple plan and landscaping, the structure becomes part of the natural environment. Some activities  include: planting, lighting  a  fire, as well  as  hide  and seek.

Thanks to the unit-based design of the structure , the scheme can be easily replicated around the UK and beyond. A variety of modules allow each school to adapt the form to the need of its students, making sure it matches the needs of school. Additionally, the use of prefabricated wooden elements ensure a quick and easy, straight-forward construction process with little waste on site.