Collaborative Workshops Bring Forres Academy’s Design Vision to Life
Project Director Claire Davie and Interior Designer Niamh McPhee from jmarchitects delivered a day of engagement workshops at Forres Academy, working with both staff and pupils to discuss and develop the interior design strategy for the new school.
Collaborative Workshops Bring Forres Academy’s Design Vision to Life
Project Director Claire Davie and Interior Designer Niamh McPhee from jmarchitects delivered a day of engagement workshops at Forres Academy, working with both staff and pupils to discuss and develop the interior design strategy for the new school.
The sessions began with an overview of the proposed site, building plans and CGIs to help everyone contextualise the subsequent tasks.
Central to the workshops was an introduction to the key concepts that will inform the design approach, including biophilic and inclusive design principles, alongside the overarching ‘Coast to Cairngorms’ concept inspired by Forres Academy’s diverse and distinctive catchment landscape. These themes were explained at the outset to ensure everyone understood how design decisions connect to wellbeing, inclusivity and place.
Participants actively contributed ideas around colour, texture, pattern and materials, all guided by references to the surrounding natural environment. Interactive exercises supported this process, helping attendees build confidence in making design choices. The workshops also incorporated precedent imagery from comparable projects to aid discussion around preferences and design quality.
It has always been an aspiration of the project team that the final interior design reflects the identity and aspirations of the school community. jmarchitects will spend the next couple of months developing the workshop outcomes into a series of proposals, which will be presented to staff and pupils after the summer holidays.
Credit: Claire Davie, jmarchitects
