Desk Case Study
Hazelwood School, Glasgow
Hazelwood School designed by Gordon Murray, Alan Dunlop, Stacy Philips, Fergal Feeny is a center for education for children and young people, aged 2 to 18, who are visual and hearing impaired.
Significant features of the school
The aim was to create a building that eliminated long dark corridors and maximized levels of natural light and incorporated visual, sound and tactile clues.
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The concept of a trail rail was developed, which allowed the children to move around the school with a greater level of freedom and independence. The wall is clad in cork, which provides insulation and also has tactile qualities. It acts as guide along the route to confirm the children’s location within the school.
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The school contains eleven classrooms in a single story structure, providing nursery through secondary education
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The curving interior spine helps with free movement inside the building and enhancing the student's spacial awareness.
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The games hall, trampoline area, and hydrotherapy pool let children to explore, extend their skills, and gain confidence.
Inference
Walls and corridors
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The unique sensory “trail rail wall” is throughout the school and enables children to practice their orientation skills.
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It provides tactile cues to assist children with navigation throughout the school.
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Corridors are designed to replicate the streets, which also assist with awareness and mobility.
Windows
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High-level windows are used to reduce distraction.
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Classrooms are oriented north for natural lighting and open onto the quietest parts of the school
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High windows forms an important part of the facade of the classrooms, allowing for maximum daylight to penetrate deep into the spaces and ensuring even distribution of light
Life skill House
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A separate residential unit, is used to teach the children basic life skills and also provides them accommodation.
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A variety of highly textured natural materials was used which could be touched and felt. Naturally weathering timber, reclaimed slate tiles and zinc were used externally.
Playgrounds and Gardens
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The playground gives the children the freedom to play and take risks at their own terms.
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A sensory garden with walkways, play yard, swings create a park-like setting for the school grounds.
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A network of paths around the school and the gardens vary in finish from gravel, recycled rubber and timber decking. Each area is defined by separate finishes, which feel and sound different under foot.
Sensory Garden
Playgrounds