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Tree of Knowledge

chadwickdryerclarke, Saffron Walden, 2014

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Daniel Shearing Download Original

Relocation of a school’s library into an existing Edwardian caretaker’s house

Dame Bradbury’s school, Saffron Walden, is part of the Stephen Perse Foundation. Following previous work for the foundation, Chadwick Dryer Clarke was appointed to design a relocation of the school’s library into an existing Edwardian caretaker’s house
This was an opportunity to re-imagine the learning possibilities and the wider role of the library within the school.

The existing library had for many years contained a small ‘Tree of Knowledge’ which had been made by previous pupils of the school. The current pupils wished to continue this concept into the new library, and as such a multi-functional tree was proposed as a new centre-piece.

The tree is formed from lacquered MDF and steel, and forms seating for reading or story-telling. The tree has integrated IT, can play audio recordings, and has a central LED-lit ‘snug’ within the trunk. Knitted within the roots of the tree are book shelves, and acoustic panels form leaves.

Data

Begun: Jun 2014
Completed: Sep 2014
Floor area: 52m²
Sector: Education
Total cost: £70,512
Procurement: JCT MWD 2011
Address: Dame Bradbury's School, Ashdon Road, Saffron Walden, CB10 2AL, United Kingdom