When Riverside Primary School officially opened its latest addition, the guests of honour were from another school entirely – the University of Tasmania’s School of Architecture and Design. In a collaboration between the two schools, design students created Home Base, a new veranda with integrated play elements that connects several classrooms and the structured learning within to the outdoor sports fields and the open-ended play without.
Deputy Head of School and Architecture Program Director Ceridwen Owen said the project, which began in 2014, had been an extremely valuable community partnership.
“This project has extended the learning opportunities of our students out into the real world where they’ve been able to take what they’ve been learning in their studies and use it to solve real problems for real clients,” Dr Owen said.
“At the same time, we’re enhancing the quality of learning environments in our local community through innovative, evidence-based design thinking.”
Fifteen Masters of Architecture students and two furniture design graduates have been directly involved in the design and fabrication of Home Base, under the supervision of Dr Owen, and working with staff and students at Riverside Primary School.
The structure mediates the transition inside and outside and can be used in a variety of ways – as an outdoor class room, a performance space, a chess club – as well as providing contained spaces for individual pursuits.
Riverside Primary School Principal Jane Bovill said the design had proven to be a great success.
“Students have diverse learning needs and it’s important to create environments that are inclusive of different preferences and experiences,” Ms Bovill said.
“Home Base has been a hit with our students and it’s been a wonderful experience to work with the University’s enthusiastic and passionate design students.”
The project was directly funded by the Riverside Primary School Association, the Tasmanian Department of Education, and the Riverside Primary School, with in kind support from the University and Core Collective Architects.
Image: Grade 3 student Ella Simpson enjoys the new Home Base with her fellow students at Riverside Primary School.
