Willowbrook School Exeter

Willowbrook School in Exeter came to us with an outdoor space that was not working as intended. A Tensile canopy had been installed away from the main building meaning that it was rarely used. Therefore the school wanted to create a covered space that the children can walk straight into that is why we fixed the steel canopy to the building itself.

With the summer holidays ahead for them, the timing suited a project of this size. Site work of this kind is far simpler with an empty playground, and it meant the school could return in September to a finished space ready for the winter weather.

How Our Team Helped Willowbrook School Create All-Weather Outdoor Space

In three days our team relocated the existing tensile canopy, then designed and installed the 28m by 4m steel canopy with the polycarbonate roofing that is situated across the span of the classrooms outdoor wall. The 112 square metres of space gives the perfect easily accessible outdoor learning space and shelter. It’s location will significantly change how much the shelter is used as it is at more of a convenience.

The instillation itself included:

• The steel frame (28m x 4m)
• Polycarbonate roofing to keep the light through but still weather protect
• The removal and relocation of the tensile canopy
• Solid foundations set into the paved surface that was pre-existing.

From The Ground Up

What may look like an overlooked, small part of the project is the paving surrounding the canopy foundations. We lifted, cut and matched the replacements to the original paving to reduce the chance of a patched finish. Due to the purpose of the canopy we knew there was a permanence to the project, therefore the ground surrounding should not look temporary but reflect the approach we have towards projects like these.

The Benefits For Willowbrook School

Whatever the weather the children now have somewhere outdoor to learn and play right on their classroom doorstep.

How is this going to benefit the children and staff?

• Straight from the classroom to outdoors: encourages more use than a sheltered space that you have to walk through the unprotected playground to reach
• Outdoor lessons guaranteed: all outdoor lessons can be consistently timetabled with no concerns of having to cancel and overbook etc.
• It’s not just about the rain: although the children don’t want to be out in the rain they sure want to be out in the sun but it is important from a safety perspective to have an area that can provide shade.
• Wet Weather breaks are no more: this outdoor space means the weather cannot call off outside break time completely , with enough space for dining and playing wet play is on decline.

Give Your Playground The Same Opportunities 

For over 25 years we have been designing based on how individual sites are rather than using a catalogue and not maximising your spaces potential. With our site visits and designs costing you nothing why not see if a steel canopy, timber shelter, outdoor classroom is what your outdoor space needs.