BSF Prison

[webman]

Enjoy

bsf-prison.pdf

[sparkeh]

Haha!

 

I am attending night classes at a recently open BSF school. As we walked in for the first time, a fair few people all said "Urgh it looks like a prison!"

 

It looks really cheap and unfinished. Bare concrete walls and ceilings have been left unfinished, although apparently thats fashionable. Last night, all the lights stopped work.

Edited November 14, 2008 by sparkeh
typos

[dezt]

Last night, all the lights stopped work.

 

Did somebody shout "lights out" just before they all went off as well.....

[webman]

Last night, all the lights stopped work.

 

Lol. They're probably ran by a managed service and will only allow X amount of light hours per day

[sparkeh]

Both excellent comments.

 

Another thing that bugs me is that parts of the building are held up by big multi coloured sticks of rock - just looks ridiculous.

[Heebeejeebee]

Extreme LOL

 

HBJB

[Guest Guest]

Both excellent comments.

 

Another thing that bugs me is that parts of the building are held up by big multi coloured sticks of rock - just looks ridiculous.

 

Coz thats fasionable too... apparntly. Not that i know anyone who thinks it looks even bareable, never mind good!

 

All our new buildings round here are like that. And you wanna see what they have got planned for the reclaimed dockland! Id rather it stay as dockland its that ugly, looks like stevie wonder chose the colour scheme!

[webman]

All our new buildings round here are like that. And you wanna see what they have got planned for the reclaimed dockland! Id rather it stay as dockland its that ugly, looks like stevie wonder chose the colour scheme!

 

Ahh yes, Middlehaven!

[Guest Guest]

Ahh yes, Middlehaven!

 

Was just about to look for that.

 

Its unbelievable it really is. I mean i know theres always gunna be some wierdo who puts a proposal for such things but for the powers that be to look at it and think "oh that looks alright, how much money do you need?"...

It looks like something you would design on Sim City

 

Have you seen the college btw? Its finished apparently, but to anyone looking at it you would think it was just unfinished dry wall sheets.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Guest

[somabc]

They are probably built by the same company from the same plans

[localzuk]

I always thought the idea of designing something was to make it functional first, then make it pretty. They seem to be doing it the other way round here - thinking about prettiness then sticking rooms inside.

 

Unplastered walls cause lots of echo, large open areas are usually a nightmare to work in - so these new foyer areas they are putting in are going to be atrocious. It's simply bad design.

[torledo]

Atleast the prison has a net to stop the inmates from doing something daft......i wonder how far the drop is in the school.....could be a leg breaker

[webman]

i wonder how far the drop is in the school.....could be a leg breaker

 

Good way to get rid of a few teachers?

[kylewilliamson]

Atleast the prison has a net to stop the inmates from doing something daft......i wonder how far the drop is in the school.....could be a leg breaker

 

I assumed that the net was for the school...

[Kitkatninja]

Hey the school designers did a good job, I was wondering how they were going to get students from throwing things off the top floors

 

-ken

[Steven_Cleaver]

The one of the prison seems to be lighter and brighter.

[russdev]

Just to be aware....

 

Microsoft UK Schools News Blog : Fun with Pictures

 

Russ

[john]

Just to be aware....

 

Microsoft UK Schools News Blog : Fun with Pictures

 

Russ

LOL, Your famous Webman

[torledo]

I assumed that the net was for the school...

 

Well it fooled me. I just assumed the one on the left was a US style high school new build, the noticeboards on the outside of the classroooms also gave that impression.

 

If the one on the left is indeed a BSF school.......then i quite like it. Nice clean design, looks solid striaght out of Porridge. Good stuff....what are you all whining about.....preparing our kids for a life penned up in a two bed barrat rabbit hutch or doing bird at her majesty's pleasure......very realistic and much better than all that open plan cr*p.

Edited November 14, 2008 by torledo

[Netman]

Did somebody shout "lights out" just before they all went off as well.....

 

Nah - it was only the trip switch... the caretaker wasn't allowed to flick it back on though - he had to fill in a form in triplicate using goat's blood extracted under a full moon whilst singing 'I'm a pink toothbrush, you're a blue toothbrush'.

This he had to submit on the next working day (measured in Botswana time).

The request was duly processed by a team of engineers over the next 36 hours... oooppps, sorry, days. Each engineer being on a salary of 3 times that of the caretaker.

Eventually he got permission to flick the trip switch back on, only to find that there had been a general election in the meantime and his new school would be moving back into it's old premises so the new one could become a prison.

[gaz350]

Haha!

 

I am attending night classes at a recently open BSF school. As we walked in for the first time, a fair few people all said "Urgh it looks like a prison!"

 

It looks really cheap and unfinished. Bare concrete walls and ceilings have been left unfinished, although apparently thats fashionable. Last night, all the lights stopped work.

 

most the other surfaces dark grey too? think i know which 1 you mean if thats the case

[rayfleming]

Just to keep the fun going, here's another prison-related thought (and related blog post)

 

According to the Council of Europe, in order to avoid torture or degrading treatment, prisoners must be given 8.5 square metres of cell space per prisoner

 

According to BB98 (the building guidance for schools, which many BSF suppliers are working to), schools should provide 4 square metres of teaching space per pupil.

 

(This 4m2 per pupil increases to 6m2 if you include other space, such as school hall, sporting buildings and the staff room)

 

Neither of these are mandatory - it appears that according to the Council of Europe, we don't build cells big enough.

 

And the DCSF have been keen to point out to BSF builders that BB98 is only guidance - they can build however they want, and allocate as much space as they can afford to pupils.

 

However, I'm not sure if the message re BB98 has reached builders widely - anybody know?

[ahuxham]

Isn't the net for the prison, to stop criminals throwing things during lock-downs/riots?

[broc]

I always thought the idea of designing something was to make it functional first, then make it pretty. They seem to be doing it the other way round here - thinking about prettiness then sticking rooms inside.

 

Unplastered walls cause lots of echo, large open areas are usually a nightmare to work in - so these new foyer areas they are putting in are going to be atrocious. It's simply bad design.

 

The design brief from HM Govt to the architects from the very beginning of BSF was to make an impact.... this rapidly became an design exercise where form is more important than function....

 

In a planning meeting with the architects I once suggested that the most effective way of designing a school would be to built a 'shed' (DIY superstore type building) where internal walls & services could be re-deployed as the curriculum needs changed. The architects response was "it wouldn't look pretty & we wouldn't get any awards....."

[broc]

Just to keep the fun going, here's another prison-related thought (and related blog post)

 

According to the Council of Europe, in order to avoid torture or degrading treatment, prisoners must be given 8.5 square metres of cell space per prisoner

 

According to BB98 (the building guidance for schools, which many BSF suppliers are working to), schools should provide 4 square metres of teaching space per pupil.

 

(This 4m2 per pupil increases to 6m2 if you include other space, such as school hall, sporting buildings and the staff room)

 

Neither of these are mandatory - it appears that according to the Council of Europe, we don't build cells big enough.

 

And the DCSF have been keen to point out to BSF builders that BB98 is only guidance - they can build however they want, and allocate as much space as they can afford to pupils.

 

However, I'm not sure if the message re BB98 has reached builders widely - anybody know?

 

BB98 sadly is used by the LAs as a yardstick to keep the footprint size down (& reduce costs). Also, schools suffering falling rolls are being designed to accomodate the planned number of students at opening; no slack is being allowed, and it seems little or no consideration is being given to any future population increase during the lifetime of the schools....

 

I heard of one school where part of a building linking two classroom blocks is being demolished and replaced with an open covered walkway as this saves 'footprint' to be used elsewhere in the rebuild.....

Edited November 17, 2008 by broc