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Tanalith E wood preservative has been used to create two striking new wooden playground buildings for children at the Shaftesbury Primary School in East London. The school’s playground is now home to a wooden amphitheatre, which allows children to sit shaded from the sun and rain, and a wooden ark large enough for children to play inside. The ark and amphitheatre are built with Hoppings Softwood Products’ Q-Deck branded timbers, which are supplied pressure-treated with Arch Timber Protection’s Tanalith E wood preservative to impart a significantly extended service life. |
The buildings, which were completed in spring 2009 and constructed on-site by contractors PETNE, were inspired by Shaftesbury Primary School’s head teacher, Mr Geoff Hadlow, and the designs were based on his original ideas and drawings.
“We created the buildings to give our pupils two new areas of interest in the playground, and to be educational as well. We are very proud of our ark and amphitheatre, and so are our parents and pupils,” says Mr Hadlow. “We collaborated closely with PETNE, who have helped a great deal with improvements at the school to achieve the most suitable designs for the buildings, and we think they did an excellent job to produce two marvellous bespoke constructions.”
Both of the buildings were created from Hoppings’ Q-Deck timbers and, in the case of the ark, a steel frame. Because the ark needed graceful curves along its length, the construction process even involved the building and running of a steaming chamber, on-site, to create the timbers of the ship. With a few varnished hardwood trimmings and animal profiles to finish off the project, the ark sits resplendent by the gates of the school.
Across the school yard, in a previously unused corner and beneath a historical brick chimney of the old factory next door, sits the L shaped amphitheatre. It is also built entirely from Hoppings’ Q-Deck components and has three tiers of seats and a roof for shelter. The amphitheatre provides the added benefit of undercover seating for parents at the start and end of each school day.
The school plans to add an underground train, using the same treated timber, later in 2009.
Because the timber has been industrially pressure treated with Tanalith E wood preservative, these two buildings will really stand the test of time, leaving a lasting impression on children and adults alike.
