Eve Elder (she/her)
I am a student designer from Lanarkshire, Scotland. I joined Glasgow School of Art in 2018 after graduating from 2 years of study in HND 3D Design : Interior Design at City of Glasgow College. From there I realised how strong my passion was for Design, specifically Interior.
Throughout my time here at GSA I have been able to further develop my design skills through a wide variety of projects. Each project has helped me to develop and gain skills by identifying, defining, conceptualising and analysing interior space(s) to their full potential. Each project presented challenges, however I managed to overcome and learn from each.
For my graduate project I proposed to create an Educational Retreat Space. This is an area of Interior Design that was different to the types of briefs I had taken on in the past, by doing this I wanted to give myself a challenge.
Introduction
I have created an Education Retreat Space, which is aimed towards the primary sector of education.
The space contains multiple areas in which children and teachers together can learn and teach through a variety of different active and traditional learning methods. Each space is catered to the many styles of learning and areas of the curriculum e.g. an IT suit enables for development of computer skills and play area to promote pupil led expression.
The purpose of my project is to provide Glasgow City Council, and their Education Sector, with an inspirational space. This environment is a place that schools can utilise to get children out of their ‘normal’ classrooms and schools. It provides a stimulating and unique setting with different learning opportunities and challenges that will engage and motivate active learning.
The Site
The Education Station is located within Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens which is just off Great Western Road, in Glasgow’s busy West End. It was previously a railway station which was active from 1896 – 1939. After the closure, the platform and tunnels were left to decay, but the station building became a local landmark.
I chose to create my retreat space within the underground abandoned platforms. The reason for deciding on this site was the vast size and its city centre location – being an easy accessible hub for the young people of Glasgow, and indeed Central Scotland. However, with the site being underground, its development had obviously proved challenging as it had been left derelict for many years. I had to consider solving the problems of lack of natural light and ventilation as these are important to brain development and therefore are essential for an educational space.
The Plan
The Site is made up of different learning stations, each station provides the teacher and pupils with resources that cater to specific ares of the curriculum.
Entrance & Exit
With the site being underground the entrance & exit tunnel gives off a mysterious – going into the unknown – getting children
excited and eager to learn.
Zone One
Relaxation Station
Open Air Station
Free Play Station
Zone Two
Arts & Crafts Station and Reading & Writing Station
Performing Arts Station
Zone Three & Ceiling Detail
