Biorhythms And The School Design

We already mentioned biorhythm's guided school in previous posts. Now digits are changing and some more details become available.

Leading north east architects Dewjo'c won the contract to design the exemplary new £20.3million state-of-the-art building. Planning permission was granted to construct the new Monkseaton High school, on Seatonville Road in January. Due for completion in summer 2009 it will provide 938 places for 13 to 19- year-olds.

Dewjo'c's design for the flagship school is based on the exemplar principles laid out by the UK government in 2002 and will create a light, modern, 21st century facility. The architects worked closely with engineering consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff, the school's headteacher, leading academic Dr Paul Kelley, and his deputy John Sexton, both of whom are instrumental in developing stimulating teaching environments that maximise pupils learning potential.

The design of Monkseaton High was also influenced by the book 'Rhythms of Life', by Russell Foster – a professor of molecular neuroscience – and Leon Kreitzman, which shows that humans have natural biorhythms which govern their daily lives.

In children this makes them most productive between the hours of 10.30am and 3pm, when their body clocks are in sync with daylight. The basic design envisages an educational community stacked within a large protective shell. The school will be orientated to ensure maximum natural ventilation and daylight, helping boost students learning potential in line with Foster's biorhythm discoveries.

The design incorporates a number of learning areas for students to study, independent of teachers.The building's light and airy atmosphere will encourage 'open' learning and is a move away from traditional, 'institutional' school design. Clear walls and open learning spaces remove barriers created by solid corridors and doors. Unlike conventional school buildings, the design for Monkseaton High School aims to maximise space within classrooms, providing teaching spaces and learning areas which will be multifunctional and flexible.

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