Fresh and vibrant design

The class numbers at Abbotts Ann village primary had outgrown their existing Victorian school and the new school was very much needed to provide the children with more indoor and outdoor space. The new school is situated on the outskirts of the village and, in contrast to the old school, is contemporary in style whilst using the reassuringly familiar form of pitched roofs arranged around a sheltered courtyard.

The bespoke design was created using a new palette of special colours that play off one another with a mixture of banded dots and polka dots with contrasting backgrounds. Stripes of varying thickness were added to the mix with ­occasional thin black lines providing an edgy feel that ties in with the black entrance matting used. The carpets to the corridors and open plan library space that run around the glazed courtyard are almost completely patterned whilst quieter spaces have a simpler treatment with a carpet of pure colour, allowing for immersion and concentration.

Designing for children

Careful consideration has been given to provide the children with an inspirational and comfortable learning environment. “The classrooms that look out across a blanket of green fields were carpeted green to provide a direct visual link from inside to outside. The courtyard planting also ties through with the banded carpet colours within the glazed corridors”, Claire Hart tells. “Soft furnishings and graphics were coordinated with the carpet design to complete a united scheme. Feature polka dot bands run like ribbons across the width of the corridors and into classrooms giving each class its own identity, which is important to the children.”

The hard work to create the perfect carpet design for Abbotts Ann Primary seems to pay off. Claire Hart smiles as she tells about the feedback from the children. “When the school opened the children were asked what they loved most about their new school and the carpet was hot on the list of their  favourite things”.