Eco-Cubby: footprint on the world

Off and running

Eco-Cubby 2011 launched last Friday and was a great success. Cr Cathy Oke kindly stepped in when Lord Mayor Robert Doyle was called away at the last minute!

Students from Yarra Road Primary School (2010 participants) talked about their Cubby experience and the interesting things they did with Architect Lisa Brennan. Teacher Jenn Collett and four students from Bundarra Primary School made the long journey from portland for the day and were excited to see their model on display.

After lunch and a tour of the Sustainable Living festival, 2011 participants engaged in an information session to start them off on their projects. We are all very excited and look forward to a busy and productive year.

A model takes shape @ Yarra Road Primary School

Students at Yarra Road have been very busy of late. Working with Architect Lisa Brennan, students have developed a lovely Eco-Cubby design that nestles between their classroom, and the edge of the school property and backs onto the frog bog. The design incorporates the existing path and trees and consists of a simple, contemporary structure with a seating area and sweeping deck.

The Eco-Cubby group incorporates two classes and students have worked extremely well together. Working in teams on different aspects of the cubby, students have managed to develop a well constructed model of both the cubby structure and the site itself.

Students have been videoing their learning processes as well as with photographs and written documentation.

the cubby site

students have researched early building techniques used in Australia.

Learning about the sun's movement during the year.

Site plan

group work

Lisa lends a hand

the finished model

Lisa and Kate discuss the placement of the cubby within the larger site model.

Yarra Road Primary School

Here's an update from Architect Lisa Brennan:

WEEK 2 - 18th March 2010                                         

WHERE will we locate the Eco-Cubby?  WHAT will it look like?  HOW will we build it?  WHO will use it?

These are the questions that we need to consider.

This week we thought about WHERE we will locate the Eco-Cubby. We have learnt about orientation and how the sun affect a building in summer and winter. 

We have chosen four possible sites which have potential. 

1. Near the oval 

2. Near the Basketball court

3. At the end of the path

4. Near the tree and the frog bog

 

WEEK 3 - 15th April 2010

SITE ANALYSIS

1. Near the oval 2. Near the basketball court 3. At the end of the path 4. Near the Tree & the Frog Bog

Each student chose their favourite site. In groups the students made a Site Analysis poster to determine the potential of their preferred site. The groups presented their Site Analysis to the class.

 These are some of the things that we considered….

- what SIZE is the site?

- what CHARACTERISTICS does the site have?

- how does it FEEL?

- what is the VIEW?

- which way is NORTH?

- where are the TREES?

- is the site FLAT sloped SLOPED?

- WHO uses the site and HOW is it used?

Now IMAGINE the Eco-Cubby at the site – What do you SEE?

WEEK 4 - 13th May 2010           

MEASURING THE SITE

Today we measured our site. We used measuring tapes and drew on graph paper. We measured the distance from the fence to the classroom, we measured the frog bog, we measured the tree locations, we measured the shed and the path. We are now able to draw a plan of our site. 

One site near the basketball courts

another site is near the sanctuary

measuring the chosen site next to the frog bog

Yarra Road Primary School

The grade four students at Yarra Road Primary School began their Eco-Cubby journey by inviting their architect, Lisa Brennan, to the school to watch them at play in the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a special place in the school grounds where the children make cubby houses among the trees.

The children use found objects such as branches, leaves, fence palings and rocks to create imaginative make believe worlds. They collaborate and negotiate with each other; trading the found objects and using gum nut collections as currency.

This was a great introduction to Eco-Cubby as the children will be able to relate the new project to their own play experiences.

Students at play in 'The Sanctuary'