How would schools look if they were designed by children? "Minimalist, light, airy with classic lines and traditionally crafted features" according to students at the University of Dundee.
Twenty interior design students from the University's Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design have just completed a stunning design project with 50 young pupils in St Mary's Primary School, Lochee, Dundee, transforming a old stairwell in a 1930s Fiskin building into an ascendance of carefully selected colour and light shafting to create atmosphere and maximise the school's aesthetic experience.
The project, the first of its kind in Scotland, was given £10,475 funding by the Scottish Arts Council to create a permanent new design solution for the school interior. The brief contained five different areas which five teams of students and pupils worked on together. The groups looked at the banisters; the windows and lights; the basement area with a team each for ground floor and first floor display window areas. The pupils and students took their design ideas right through to completion and are now enjoying their new modern environment in the school.
Headteacher Nicholas Marra explained: "This was an excellent project for our pupils to be involved in. They were excited, motivated and enthused when they realised that their creative ideas were to be central in the design process. They learned so much from group work with the design students from Duncan of Jordanstone who treated the children as equals throughout the creative process. The children's illustrations are now a main and permanent feature in one of the designed window spaces and we have created beautiful boxes and galleries to display the children's art work. This makes them feel that their work is valued an essential part of educational achievement.
He continues: "One of the pupils asked me after the class visit to Duncan of Jordanstone how he would get to art college. The seed of higher education had been planted in his mind. Projects such as these are an excellent way to raise children's aspirations and let them realise their potential."
Chris Biddlecombe, tutor in interior design at the University of Dundee said: "The students gained so much from this project. They became the teachers, seeking information from the children. They had to listen to the children's ideas and develop them into sophisticated design concepts. They discovered that the children's ideas could be translated into very interesting and successful designs. Working on a live project was highly beneficial for the students. They had to consider health and safety issues and budgetary constraints. The project took them from designing in the college into the real world where they developed skills in negotiation and compromise and a generosity of spirit. It was a highly enjoyable project for all concerned and extremely valuable for our students learning."
Jenny Attala, of the Scottish Arts Council congratulated all involved and added: "The project is a fine example of how well children and professionals can work together on concrete projects where everyone learns by "doing". "In this project, learning about architecture and design gives the children new eyes for their environment and new perspectives on how they might make a difference to their world. I'm delighted the Scottish Arts Council was able to support this tremendous idea."
An official opening will take place on Wednesday 11th June at 2pm in St Mary's Primary School. The opening will be attended by the Director of Education in Dundee Mrs Anne Wilson, the artists, students, construction artists and pupils from the school.
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk