Yavneh College
The project was the renovation of a Jewish faith school in Borehamwood, that included bringing back into use a derelict school building, and re-designing the school grounds. The brief for the landscape included a high level of security with an outer and inner security fence, with a double lock gate system as the main pedestrian and vehicle entrance.
The design challenge was to provide the required level of security at the same time as creating a welcoming and friendly environment for the students. The playful solution was to vary ground levels and use grass mounds to create a 3 metre height barrier from outside, but with only a standard 1.2 metre high fence from the inside.
Working closely with the school and architects we integrated the building and landscape designs, for example, using clay pavers that extended from the entrance through into the building.
Whilst at Farrer Huxley Associates / complete 2009 / Borehamwood, Hertfordshire / client: Yavneh College Trust / size: 1.2ha / value: 800k / architect: Hawkins Brown