ABSTRACT
Forest Park is a school that exemplifies Hampshire’s inclusive approach and puts people at the heart of the school and the local community; celebrating creativity, inspiration and delight. Located on the edge of the New Forest National Park, Forest Park Special School provides purpose-built accommodation for children with complex learning difficulties. Working closely with the headteacher and the school, the accommodation has been designed around courtyard spaces, a typology well suited to schools and a theme recurring in Hampshire’s recent work. Key to the success of this project is how well it engages with its setting. The school’s building forms and materials take their cue from the vernacular buildings found in the New Forest, with large agrarian structures and an attention to the detail of brick and dark stained cladding providing a natural and simple palette for the school. The wider school landscape takes inspiration from the heathland that typifies so much of the New Forest.
