Spaces for Calm

Working with 180 Year 5 students and their wonderfully imaginative ideas, we were thrilled to be commissioned by Bow Arts to co-design two mindfulness spaces in the playgrounds of Valence Primary School, a two-site school in Chadwell Heath, East London. The structures were built over the summer and completed in early autumn 2019. During the workshops, students explored both 2D and 3D materials to create their ideal calm spaces. With colourful overhead canopies, inventive scenes, furniture, and decorations, we ended the three days with 44 unique models of calming spaces. Drawing on this wealth of ideas, we amalgamated the outputs to create two distinct structures, one for each of the school’s sites on St George’s Road and Bonham Road. St George’s Road Inspired by the pods and seating pockets from the workshop models, this site features two custom CNC-cut arched structures assembled on-site. Each shelter includes multiwall polycarbonate windows offering varied views of the sky and surrounding tree canopy, clad with raw hit-and-miss battens. Decorative CNC-cut front panels incorporate the fluid, wave-like forms from the students’ canopy designs, providing a sense of seclusion while maintaining visibility for safeguarding. Bonham Road This site employs traditional joinery to create decking with integrated planters extending from a timber canopy. Within the canopy are CNC-cut decorative panels showcasing the students’ 2D designs and shapes. Angled poles reflect the popular woodland and tall forest tree themes seen in many models, while rippling fins at the back reinforce the wave motif, helping create a calm and tranquil atmosphere.