Ark Victoria Academy in the West Midlands Adds Colourful Break Time Canopy

What was the project brief?

Ark Victoria Academy in Birmingham wanted to install a canopy to shelter the children at break times. The staff were looking for a product that would inspire the pupils and bring cheer to the outdoor space with a colourful design, as well as be long enough to run alongside the school building for easy access, and be robust enough to withstand bad weather. They got in touch with A&S Landscape, who was pleased to be chosen to tackle this project and soon got to work on figuring out the right way to proceed.

What was our break time canopy solution?

We discussed a couple of options with Ark Victoria Academy and, under our guidance, the team decided to add a Motiva Linear™ to their facilities. This model is very popular with schools because its monopitch, asymmetric design where one side is higher than the other allows it to become many different types of canopy and effectively keep children out of the wind and rain. The staff at the school chose Ultramarine Blue steelwork and a multicoloured roof to brighten up the area and encourage the pupils’ creativity. Plus, we installed the shelter with 28280mm X 4000mm specifications, so there was plenty of room for the children to play or hang out with friends undercover during breaks from lessons, right by the building.

What was the result of the shelter?

The staff and pupils at Ark Victoria Academy adore the break time canopy. It is a real statement piece which demonstrates its dedication to its pupils, increasing day-to-day enjoyment at the school and improving facilities. The children now have an exciting new area where they can spend their break times, and they can play, socialise or eat in the fresh air throughout the year. The multicoloured roof looks stunning in the sunlight, creates a cheerful atmosphere on grey days and easily withstands the unpredictable British weather! A&S Landscape loved this school’s reaction to their finished custom canopy and wouldn’t hesitate to provide them with another in the future, should they have need of one.

About the client

Ark Victoria Academy is a non-selective, non-denominational and mixed school that caters to pupils from nursery age, through primary and up to key stage 4 at the age of 16. It prides itself on retaining a ‘family feel’ where children and staff are respected and listened to, and their unique talents are recognised’. Those at the school follow the Six Pillars, which are underlying principles that help them to achieve their mission – high expectations, excellent teaching, exemplary behaviour, depth before breadth, knowing every child and always learning. We enjoyed working with the passionate staff and hope that our canopy will bring them joy for many years to come.

This institution is based in Small Heath, Birmingham. This West Midlands city has many draws for families like those whose children attend Ark Victoria Academy. Attractions include Cadbury World, the National Sea Life Centre, fantastic shopping and dining scenes, and being able to explore by canal boat!

How can different-coloured shelters affect children’s learning and mood?

Scientists have discovered that colours can make people feel a variety of emotions – this is called colour psychology. It can be useful to consider this when picking the design of your shelter, as applying colour psychology can influence your pupils’ mood and help you to aid their learning. Here are just a few examples:

• Red inspires excitement and creativity
• Yellow inspires positivity and attention
• Blue inspires calmness
• Brown inspires relaxation and feeling secure
• Orange inspires alertness

Why not put some of this knowledge to use by designing your canopy with this in mind? If you’re installing an outdoor classroom shelter, you might want to consider orange to help pupils stay focused. Alternatively, a blue canopy might suit an undercover relaxation area. Multicoloured roof canopies are perfect for playground shelters as they combine several colours to make them fun and exciting places to play in! Contact A&S Landscape today by emailing us at [email protected] and we’ll help you find the ideal product for your needs.

What makes A&S Landscape different from its competitors?

Here at A&S Landscape, we have been trading for over four decades. We began as a family business and are proud to still be trading as one, using the same strong principles to become market leaders and build a client base that stretches across the UK and Europe. We have created three distinct ranges of canopy to offer a variety of models to our customers that will suit any requirements, and we always keep quality and cost-effectiveness in mind. Call us on 01743 444100 to discover more about our history as canopy and shelter specialists now.

Continue reading about more of our projects based in the West Midlands

Playground Shelter Installed at Mereside Farm Children’s Nursery

Our engineers created a cantilever canopy in Mereside Farm Children’s Nursery, Shirley, West Midlands. The full contract involved one Motiva Cantilever™ monopitch straight roof canopy measuring 7000mm X 3000mm including with Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

Moat House Primary School Add Straight Roof Shelters

Our engineers erected two straight polycarbonate roof canopies at Moat House Primary School, Coventry, West Midlands. The full contract involved two Motiva Linear™ straight roof canopies each measuring 4150mm X 3300mm and included for our Alu-Tuff™ aluminium box profile guttering and downpipes in matching Dura-coat™ colour finish.

Sowe Valley School Add Fabric Roof Structure

A&S constructed a Maxima StarSail™ in Sowe Valley School, Princethorpe Way, West Midlands. The job involved the supply and installation of one Maxima StarSail™ tensile shadecloth fabric structure supported on a single upright measuring 5000mm X 5000mm.

Six Fabric Shade Sails Designed for Stivichall Primary School

A&S erected six shadesails for Stivichall Primary School, Stivichal, Coventry, West Midlands. The contract included six Maxima™ tensile shade cloth fabric sails including for all stainless steel fixtures and fittings in various sizes.

Two Fabric Canopies Installed at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Our team built two Maxima StarSail™ canopies in Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Brays Lane, Coventry, West Midlands. The job involved two Maxima StarSail™ tensile shadecloth fabric structure supported on a single upright measuring 4000mm X 4000mm and two post pads.