Schools are where the future of our planet are raised and taught the basics of life. It’s where children and teenagers decide which path they want to go down. It’s more than that, though. It’s also a social environment where kids can mingle and get to know other people their age that are going through similar experiences. It’s a setting where they can play and learn a lot of valuable lessons – not just in the classroom. As custom builders in Pakenham, we believe that the literal foundation for all these things begins with a well-designed school campus. Join us as we take a look at some features that make this work.

Design around your curriculum

Determining the type of school you want to create is essential to the process. For today’s blog, we’re going to be concentrating specifically on secondary campuses. How many students are you expecting? What will their interests be? If you know a lot of your students will be creatives, then you might want to concentrate your funding on modern art rooms.

When designing a school, however, it can be hard to know what sort of students you’ll be hosting. This is when you should look at your curriculum and try to model the school off of that. A good all-round campus should feature classrooms which seat at least 30 students comfortably – in addition to smaller rooms for more specialist classes or small study groups. 

Music and art rooms are essential in today’s day and age as well and should be larger than the average classroom. All classrooms should have windows to let natural light in. Studies have shown that exposure to natural light can increase productivity as well as improve one’s mood and concentration.

How many levels do you need?

Whilst having a two or even three-storey building can be advantageous in that it won’t take up much room and can be a lot easier to navigate – it can also be a nuisance. If the classroom above is making unnecessary noise, then they could inadvertently disturb your class below. If you do opt for a ground-level only building – then it’s essential that the corridors are clearly labelled and that signs are placed at intersections to help students navigate.

Large, floor to ceiling windows in corridors are fantastic for lighting and also hold a myriad of possibilities for decorating. For examples, outside the windows, there could be a small garden in which the students can work on and contribute to. This also makes the corridors seem a lot more interesting. Keeping students fascinated and interested is important to their learning process.

Designing the yard

An agora is a staple Australian school feature. It provides an assembly area as well as a place for the students to play ball games during recess and lunch. Adding a basketball court with hoops to the agora is an easy and practical action that will greatly enhance the students’ playtime experience. A grassy area should also be featured somewhere in the yard. If there is no room for an oval – then smaller areas with fake grass can still do the trick. This can provide a nice area for the students to sit when it’s sunny and also requires little to no maintenance.

Do you need a hall?

Our custom builders in Pakenham believe that a modern school needs a modern hall. That is, not your traditional hall, but one that can be host to multiple applications whilst still looking stylish. One idea to consider is to build the hall as its own separate, self-sufficient building. It could feature several specialty rooms such as a theatre or art room, some indoor sports courts – as well as a more formal room for assemblies and presentations. 

The hall will feature its own set of bathrooms and plumbing system. The sporting courts could also double as the assembly hall if space is an issue. Even the theatre room could double as a stage for the main hall and be closed off by a barrier or curtain when it’s not being used as a stage. There are many different possibilities you can consider when looking at constructing a hall for your school campus.

Are you looking for custom builders in Pakenham?

If you require custom builders in Pakenham to build your school, then S & B Lamble Builders is the perfect business for you. Our boutique construction services are designed to specifically suit your needs. Our contractors have vast experience large projects such as building secondary college campuses and aged care facilities and will work with you to ensure that your needs are met.

So, if you’re looking for custom builders in Pakenham to build your school, then please give us a call on (03) 5941 8135. Alternatively, you may also fill out the enquiry form on our website