As schools grow in pupil numbers, one of the first things to be outgrown is often the dining room. There is not always enough funding available for a traditional building extension so schools are keen to explore other options.
A&S Landscape offered a creative solution to St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School in West Yorkshire and installed an enclosed, covered dining area in to the playground; complete with heating, lighting and branding.
The canopy was constructed from steel, with polycarbonate roofing and glass panel sides and doors. School logos were added to the glass, which strongly branded the area. The space is all-weather, meaning that students can enjoy the space all year round. It is another viable option for dining space at the school.
The cost compared favourably with the alternative, which would have been a more traditional building extension. This allowed the school to make the best use of their outdoor space and build the canopy large enough to be a useful area for many years to come. A large 20m x 7m area was covered under the new dining area canopy, which now has 16 picnic benches that can be used by children in addition to those who continue to use the original dining hall.
The design of the covered dining area was very carefully considered, no internal beams were included and the overall look of the canopy is in keeping with the rest of the school.
Pupils can now enjoy the new space and it has removed previous health and safety concerns associated with overcrowding at lunch and break times.
Many more designs and styles are available to create additional outdoor dining spaces. From fabric roofed canopies to enclosed structures with side panels, heating and lighting. Whatever your considerations there is sure to be a design to fit.
Our video shows how the project went from concept to completion and you can see the differences that the dining area canopy has made to staff and students at St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School.
Please visit the A&S Landscape website for more information: https://www.aandslandscape.co.uk/
