Grange Park
Vaux Home Design
Grange Park had another curriculum takeover day which was DT and STEM focused. The children were given a design brief, which was to discover what a home of the future would look like at the old Vaux Brewery site in Sunderland. The children were given some information, such as the size of the plot, that it is to be a terraced house, as well as being a sustainable home.
In the Early Years, children used large junk modelling and blocks to create terraced structures. This followed into Year 1 and 2 where the children had to create standing structures which would withstand adverse weather conditions (a hair dryer led by the Big Bad Wolf!)
In Years 3 and 4, the children first went onto the yard to measure out what the plot size would be. This was to help the children visualise the space, the size and shape of a terraced house. This then allowed the children to research sustainable homes, such as homes which use recycled sea plastic, using renewable energy sources, or homes which are built using modern methods. This included homes being built in sections offsite and transported to a location where they would be placed together.
In Years 5 and 6, the children conducted research on the proposed site, such as looking at historical maps and images, as well as looking at the condition of the site as it is now.
THE CHALLENGE
Sunderland City Council together with MOBIE and the Riverside Sunderland team are inviting the Young People of Sunderland to collaborate with their households, families, relations and friends to design homes that could be built on the city's riverside.
We are all having to live much more of our lives at home than usual. We are sharing spaces of different sizes, layouts and styles and different facilities with our family groups, large or small, differing ages, genders and generations. So what better time for you to think about the design of the future homes and new community in Sunderland.
You need to be thinking VERY carefully about what this home will look like. Now more than ever we need to be building a world suitable for the future and to protect our precious planet. Try and move away from what a conventional house will look like, but start thinking about how it will run (do we really want fossil fuels?!) Another consideration is what materials will it be constructed from? Think RENEWABLE all the time.
Your designs must consider the planet. It must be a ‘green’ home to build and run. Its construction must use sustainable materials, which could include recycled materials and minimise waste. It must offer low running costs, energy use and have zero carbon emissions. Think about how the design of your house can reduce the need for materials and energy, and then how you can create the energy that is needed from renewable resources.
Show us how your home will consider the health and wellbeing of the people who live in it as well as those in the surrounding community. Consider what new and digital technologies the occupants might need and enjoy. Your new home should be beautiful to look at, as well as beautiful to live in. Finally, how well will your design last into the future – i.e. will it be flexible for future adaptations to future lifestyles?
Modern Methods of Construction and Offsite Manufacture
Your homes must be suitable for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and Offsite Manufacture (OSM). These are different ways of making homes, they are created from parts made in a factory, units or as a whole in a factory. These are brought to the site and fitted together on site. They are designed to make new housing more efficient, improve quality and make the building faster, reduce costs and provide safer, cleaner and more comfortable conditions for the construction of the house.
