The Jack Graham Celebration Garden

Transcription

1 The Jack Graham Celebration Garden The aims of this project: Jack Graham was a valued member of our school who sadly lost his battle with cancer last year. To celebrate and remember Jack s contribution to our school, Jack s friends are restoring and re-imagining the use of an area between the Hall and Sixth Form on the North Site of school. We want to create a calm, seating area that encourages students to stop, chat, relax and enjoy each others company right at the entrance to North Site in what previously was little more than a corridor. We also want to add art in the form of a mural & student sculpture to enrich the space.

2 The area as it currently stands We identified the problems of the area with a group of students and staff: 1. Despite being a central area between the Hall and Sixth Form Centre, it is used as little more than a pathway between the two and a place to park staff bikes; 2. There is a total lack of seating to support socialisation, teaching, and eating despite being directly outside the canteen area. In the summer students who are desperate for a place to relax outside, use the low walls around the area as the only place to sit; 3. Historic planting has degraded and as they have come to the end of their natural lives, patches of soil have opened up and some plants have become overgrown and leggy and now need replacing. Some of the small trees need pruning to allow more light into the space; 4. The area lacks an identity, a sense of being a specific space, right at the main entrance for visitors to North Site

3 Some Key Features of the New Garden One of the new picnic style tables Globe water feature Refreshed & renewed planting Overview drawing of the site New mural & sculpture in the planting beds One of the new benches New wall mounted art

4 The Principles of the Redesign A clear, calm & social purpose for the space To focus the use of the area into a calm, mentally refreshing space that becomes an attractive meeting point to eat, socialise and work outside for our various school users: Students (particularly Sixth Formers), staff & interns of the Training School during the day Parents & carers at social events Community users (the site is often let in the evenings and weekends etc)

5 A place to remember & celebrate To create a calm space to remember and celebrate Jack s life To incorporate a water globe to provide the calming sound of water To create a small plaque to dedicate the garden to Jack from his friends To create & install a mural and student sculpture to enhance the mood of the space

6 Planting for year round use To rejuvenate the existing planting beds Using & pruning existing small trees & plants Introduce more grasses around the central bed area and frame it with railway sleepers Removing some old plants & adding new ones to increase interest & a calm, relaxing feel: Ground cover plants such as Vinca Major Vinca Minor Completely replanting the existing concrete planter with scented clematis & plants that will provide colour for much more of the year The planting beds & troughs as they currently stand Helping us achieve our vision for the Jack Graham Celebration Garden You can help us by donating financially at our Total Giving page below. If you have any other ways you think you might be able to help us please e- mail: clawful@cherwell.oxon.sch.uk

7 The Jack Graham Garden is part of the larger Garden Rooms Project A vision for the outside spaces of Cherwell School Overview drawing of the site The aims of the Garden Rooms project are to: Enhance the visual appeal and unity of North & South Sites outside spaces; Improve the facilities to enhance opportunities for outside learning, student fitness & the display of student artwork; Aid students and staff s health and mental well-being; Provide spaces to support local wildlife; Reflect Cherwell School s innovative, outward-looking and inclusive educational ethos.

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