Brudenell Sensory Garden Design
Design Brief
Brudenell Primary School wants to encourage healthy eating, emotional well-being and healthy lifestyles, within the school and the wider community.We want to establish and develop cultural links with communities around the school. The area the school is in has a diverse range of people from many different backgrounds. Outdoor activities will help us engage with children and parents with whom language is a barrier.
Element Requests - raised beds, sensory garden, a fire pit, clay pizza oven, chicken coop
Brudenell Primary School wants to encourage healthy eating, emotional well-being and healthy lifestyles, within the school and the wider community.We want to establish and develop cultural links with communities around the school. The area the school is in has a diverse range of people from many different backgrounds. Outdoor activities will help us engage with children and parents with whom language is a barrier.
Element Requests - raised beds, sensory garden, a fire pit, clay pizza oven, chicken coop
Project Analysis
Embracing permaculture design is a big thing for our organisation to take on but the permaculture principle - in the problem is the solution helped tackle this. This project took a high priority for HPS as part of our LAND centre development and accreditation. We used this project to learn how PCD could work for a project. We had a staff training day with local design expert Niels Corfield working through the design process from the ethics and principles of PC through to surveying the site and analysing the data to produce design ideas.
Embracing permaculture design is a big thing for our organisation to take on but the permaculture principle - in the problem is the solution helped tackle this. This project took a high priority for HPS as part of our LAND centre development and accreditation. We used this project to learn how PCD could work for a project. We had a staff training day with local design expert Niels Corfield working through the design process from the ethics and principles of PC through to surveying the site and analysing the data to produce design ideas.
Funding provided a year of work with the school so phasing is important. The project started in the summer holidays so early infrastructure work could be done Autumn 2014. Integrate don't segregate is a principle that that applies to who we work with. several corporate volunteer days would help get stuff done.
Site Survey & analysis
We learned a lot from surveying this site on our group design day, preparation is crucial. The site is incredibly complex with many angles geometric shapes and slopes. Google maps came in very handy to get the right shapes and in proportion. We then measured detailed areas where we are implimenting the design.
We learned a lot from surveying this site on our group design day, preparation is crucial. The site is incredibly complex with many angles geometric shapes and slopes. Google maps came in very handy to get the right shapes and in proportion. We then measured detailed areas where we are implimenting the design.
Resources - Leaves, berries, children's energy, raised bed, shed
Plants – Cherry tree's, Rowan Pine - colour/taste/Cones/brash/ logs/leaves
Animals - Fox, Cats, Birds, Squirels - concerns about feces and chickens
Structures - railings, old path around edge, shed, raised beds by school
Events - Forrest schools activities, playing on railings, fires, whitling
Energy Leaks - Biggest task for caretaker is sweeping leaves in Autumn which end up in landfill!
Plants – Cherry tree's, Rowan Pine - colour/taste/Cones/brash/ logs/leaves
Animals - Fox, Cats, Birds, Squirels - concerns about feces and chickens
Structures - railings, old path around edge, shed, raised beds by school
Events - Forrest schools activities, playing on railings, fires, whitling
Energy Leaks - Biggest task for caretaker is sweeping leaves in Autumn which end up in landfill!
(Zones 1) Glass corridor paved area, shed and raised beds and access paths (Zone 2) Grassy slope & outdoor classroom (Zone 3) steps up to top gate (zone 4) Unused path top bank (Zone 5) Boundary fence |
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Element Analysis
Input output of the elements of our design showed some important elements to include. Such as the chickens need a compost bay for the soiled hay and the fire pit would need a wood store. Thinking about the relative location of elements helped to locate the taste and smell zones incorporating the fire and rocket stoves with willow wind barriers and berb beds. Positives/Minuses/Interesting analysis of the requested pizza oven and alternatives such as a Tandori helped to chose a rocket stove as the post appropriate cooking element.
Input output of the elements of our design showed some important elements to include. Such as the chickens need a compost bay for the soiled hay and the fire pit would need a wood store. Thinking about the relative location of elements helped to locate the taste and smell zones incorporating the fire and rocket stoves with willow wind barriers and berb beds. Positives/Minuses/Interesting analysis of the requested pizza oven and alternatives such as a Tandori helped to chose a rocket stove as the post appropriate cooking element.
Element shortlist
Hapa zome hammers (Recycled cable drum table, leaves and berries are renewable craft resources)
Sensory flower beds (Sessions with parents provide multiple yields)
Sensory steps - Logs/pebbles/slate/mud/ - each step
Leaf mold bay bouncy castle - Big bay for leaves - catch and store energy with small rakes and kids gloves they can maintain the paths. Need boot brush at end of path.
Willow fedge - resources for weaving in future, wind barrier, edge of fire zone, Education for HPS staff organization development, workshops for teachers and parents, winter activities.
Deep litter Chicken Coop - Eggs, education, manure, cultural engagement, deep wood chip only needs changing every 6 months.
Compost Bays - Food waste, chicken litter
Rocket stove kitchen - Cost effective cooking tool
Fire circle-
Hapa zome hammers (Recycled cable drum table, leaves and berries are renewable craft resources)
Sensory flower beds (Sessions with parents provide multiple yields)
Sensory steps - Logs/pebbles/slate/mud/ - each step
Leaf mold bay bouncy castle - Big bay for leaves - catch and store energy with small rakes and kids gloves they can maintain the paths. Need boot brush at end of path.
Willow fedge - resources for weaving in future, wind barrier, edge of fire zone, Education for HPS staff organization development, workshops for teachers and parents, winter activities.
Deep litter Chicken Coop - Eggs, education, manure, cultural engagement, deep wood chip only needs changing every 6 months.
Compost Bays - Food waste, chicken litter
Rocket stove kitchen - Cost effective cooking tool
Fire circle-
Bubble Design
Using A2 overlays we added our observations from several surveys this formed sector analysis, current zones
Design proposals
Using various mediums we presented our final design proposal from sketches to accurate sketch-up models and written proposals. The phasing was carefully planned to fit around school holidays volunteer availability and seasonal requirements such as planting willow between December and Feb.
Using various mediums we presented our final design proposal from sketches to accurate sketch-up models and written proposals. The phasing was carefully planned to fit around school holidays volunteer availability and seasonal requirements such as planting willow between December and Feb.
Implementation
Working with the school teachers, corporate volunteers and our skilled staff team we have started work, the chicken coop was built in 2 days and the school have got there first happy resident layers. The sensory trail has been put down ready for sensual additions and the fire pit and seating is waiting to be adorned with beautiful willow fedges and pungent herbs. The Rocket stove kitchen will crown the work facilitating parents cooking groups and social events.
