19 Oct 2021
Gungahlin College student, Natalie Hardy, redesigns her school’s outdoor area
Even while in remote learning, most ACT public school students would be able to tell you something they’d like to see in the outdoor areas at their school. New play equipment, a table tennis table, or some native plants. The ideas are endless.
Students in Year 7 and 8 at Black Mountain School and a Gungahlin College student took this a step further. They designed their dream outdoor areas as part of the ‘Schoolyard I’d Like’ competition, their creative ideas becoming winning entries.
The ‘Schoolyard I’d Like’ competition challenges students to “redefine the purpose of the schoolyard,” considering sport, safety and socialising to transform their daily school life. They are tasked with taking a photo of an existing space at their school and can present how they would transform it using an A3 poster, which can contain images, plans or drawings, and an including a summary of their design ideas.
Black Mountain School's competition entry, showing their current playground (left) and their new ideas (right).
Black Mountain School’s Student Representative Council (SRC) took their own ideas and results from a ‘Happy and Safe Survey’ conducted by last year’s SRC to transform a playground area at their school, winning the competition’s Year 7/8 category.
“We would love to add more flowers to make it look pretty and it will attract native animals and bees,” SRC students wrote, adding an image of bright flowers alongside the existing mulch in the play area.
The group also considered safety and proposed fixing the existing footpath and adding softfall between the footpath and play equipment so that students who have trouble walking or seeing will be safer.
The competition jury liked the accessibility of the playground design and how the students at Black Mountain School provided considered solutions across the area.
The school is working to implement the student-led ideas during the summer holidays, and the SRC is overjoyed to hear that their ideas will become a reality.
“Some updates to our playground areas had been on the SRC’s ‘wish list’ for many years as the students wanted to look at ways they could beautify the leisure spaces of the school, and bring students together to build friendships across different student learning groups,” said Stephanie Nott, an executive teacher at Black Mountain School.
Winning the category for Year 11/12 is Gungahlin College student, Natalie Hardy.
Natalie, who is in Year 11, studied Canberra’s climate and conducted research across the student body to plan a re-design of a central courtyard within the college campus. Her ideas included incorporating school colours and building a greenhouse, as well as adding shelter from the rain and wind.
“The redesigned schoolyard intends to suit different target audiences who require fun or relaxation in a schoolyard,” wrote Natalie.
Her design includes accessibility ramps for easy access for everyone, and slides for students to use to have fun. The bright colour palette, while showcasing the school colours, is inspired by primary school playgrounds and the playful emotions that bright colours produce.
“A bright colour palette, the inclusion of slides, and a greenhouse have been included to remind students in years 10 and 12 how a school can be fun and remind them of their primary school days,” wrote Natalie.
The competition jury liked how Natalie’s design considered user needs like access, relaxation, and fun, and that it worked with existing structures in creative ways.
Natalie is currently undertaking architecture and design classes at Gungahlin College and plans to study architecture further at university. She is passionate about her ideas coming to life and offering a young person’s perspective in shaping the world around her.
“I like doing architecture as a young person because it gives a new perspective in a changing world. It’s good having fresh minds contributing, and it would be great to see more people get into design,” said Natalie.
While there are no construction plans for Natalie’s designs at this stage, principal of Gungahlin College, Priscilla Wray, says the College will consider how some ideas can be incorporated into the existing schoolyard.
Congratulations Natalie and the SRC at Black Mountain School for your amazing efforts!