Generally central to the school.
The zone is a hard-paved, high-use area. It is multifunctional and may form a gathering space able to accommodate the whole school, a forum for public addresses and performances, space for informal games, seating and shade. The assembly zone often is the central space and focus of the school, connecting many areas. It can be a transition zone from the buildings to the free play area.
| Criteria | Considerations |
|---|---|
| Microclimate | Avoid wind tunnels, overshadowing, heat and glare from paved surfaces. |
| Context | Consider relationship of assembly function to surrounding buildings - noise transmission and reverberation, views, thermal comfort. |
| Biodiversity Recovery | Not applicable. |
| Pedestrian movement | Define main paths and connections with placement of planting. Allow access for people with disabilities. |
| Shade | Provision of shade trees to seating adjacent to assembly quadrangle. Ensure selected or existing species do not drop branches, excess leaves or fruit. Consider tree protection measures to ensure tree establishment in this high use area. |
| Winter solar access | To classrooms and seating areas through setback of planting or use of deciduous trees. |
| Furniture | Fixed seating on perimeter (refer Schools Facilities Standards). |
| Water | Sufficient hosecocks for irrigation. Ensure hosecocks do not form obstacles. |
| Erosion | Consider spill out from edges of paving onto turf - maximum wear areas. |
| Surface | Hard paved. Scale of paving pattern should consider age and size of students and potential for games. Colours should relate to the overall scheme of school. |
| Solar glare | Bright reflective surfaces to be avoided. |
| Allergenic plants | Low allergenic species required as zone is high use. |
| Stormwater | Consider levels (including floor levels), pits, swales, connections, overland flow. Particular attention required to avoid ponding and excess cross flow in Assembly area and COLA. |
| Lighting | Refer Schools Facilities Standards. |
| Signage | Not required. |
| Maintenance | Medium to high level as this zone is high use. |
