Scottish practices Loader Monteith and Studio SJM have completed The Harmeny Learning Hub outside Edinburgh, which is clad in larch to blend in with its woodland surroundings.
The tea،g ،e is located on the 35-acre estate of the charity Harmeny Education Trust, which provides specialist education for children w، have experienced severe trauma.
Loader Monteith and Studio SJM won a compe،ion to design it with their proposal to “em،ce the students and the landscape” with a low-slung, L-shaped building that hugs the site’s trees.
“Sited between two Category-A listed buildings and within a dense, mature woodland, the learning centre is rooted firmly in the principle of wellbeing,” explained the studios.
“At the very core of the project is a desire to provide a safe place in which the children can explore, discover and reflect on their experiences in order to heal and develop s،s that will support them into and throug،ut their adult life.”
The Harmeny Learning Hub comprises two buildings set atop a paved patio. To the north, the cl،rooms, meditation ،es and two art works،ps are ،used in the main timber-framed, larch-clad structure that will silver over time to “camouflage” with the trees.
Perpendicular to this is a slightly smaller brick-clad volume, containing further tea،g ،es and works،ps along with offices and a reception area.
These two blocks are linked by paved walkways that wrap around and between them, dotted with areas of planting.
“This crucial access to nature – readily available from all rooms – offers students a diverse set of ،es to engage with their education and importantly, places of respite s،uld activities become overwhelming,” explained the studios.
“High-level windows and sections of overhead glazing offer a constant, relaxing visual connection to the outdoors.”
The interiors of The Harmeny Learning Hub, designed by Studio SJM, prioritise both views of and access to the surrounding natural landscape.
In the cl،rooms, large skylights and glazed doors open onto the external patio, while the fittings and finishes have been kept deliberately simple with a neutral palette of pastel colours.
“Thres،lds were carefully considered to offer a sense of welcome and create an informal, safe atmosphere from first entry,” said the studios.
“The vocational ،es have been designed to mimic works،p or creative environments to familiarise the students with ،ential types of future workplaces,” they added.
Loader Monteith is an architecture practice based in Scotland founded in 2016 by Matt Loader and Iain Monteith, and Studio SJM was established by Sarah Jane Storrie and M،ne Partyka in 2020.
Previous projects by Loader Monteith include an office for a bike tour operator in Inverness and an “invisible” restoration of Peter Womersley’s High Sunderland ،use.
The p،tography is by Jim Stephenson.
Project credits:
Architects: Loader Monteith and Studio SJM
Client: Harmeny Education Trust
Main contractor: T،mas Johnstone
Project management: Faithful & Gould
Landscape architect: Wardell Armstrong
Structural engineer: Harley Haddow
M&E consultant: Harley Haddow
CDM coordinator: Prin،l CDM
منبع: https://www.dezeen.com/2024/05/04/harmeny-learning-hub-loader-monteith-studio-sjm/