Function:
Location:
Free Play, courtyards, or a school specific location.
The Special Function Zone occurs when a school requests a particular type of landscape experience, for example, a sensory garden, a bush food garden, a nature reserve or an environment for students with specialised needs. This zone provides a different experience for students. Extra funding and maintenance is sometimes required for this zone.
| Criteria | Considerations |
|---|---|
| Microclimate | Avoid overshadowing and wind tunnels. Provide pleasant seating conditions if required. |
| Context | Consider relationship to surrounding buildings - noise, function, views. |
| Biodiversity Recovery | Potential opportunity to plant a mixture of endemic species which are suited to local conditions and require low maintenance. |
| Pedestrian movement | Allow access for people with disabilities. |
| Shade | Provide summer shade to seating areas. |
| Winter solar access | Ensure planting allows sufficient natural light to key spaces in buildings. |
| Furniture | Consider incorporating seating on low walls. |
| Water | Sufficient hose cocks required for irrigation/ watering. Ensure hose cocks do not form obstacles. Other means of irrigation may be required to achieve design objectives. |
| Erosion | Medium potential to desire lines and along main circulation routes. |
| Surface finish | Varied. Paving may be required under seating or in high use areas. Consider the use of synthetic grass and or rubber surfacing where soft surfaces are desirable. |
| Solar glare | Bright reflective surfaces to be avoided |
| Allergenic plants | Plants with low potential to cause allergies due to frequent student use. |
| Stormwater | Consider planting beds and turf to assist collection and infiltration of water. |
| Lighting | Refer Schools Facilities Standards. |
| Signage | Brief specific. |
| Maintenance | Medium level required. |
