Growing minds: A garden room became classroom space for a local secondary school

The Dream: A bespoke garden den to create dedicated classroom space

At the garden den we believe in creating spaces that positively impact our customer’s lives.  Recently we had the opportunity to work with a local secondary school, Fortrose academy to build a garden room for their students to be used as their mental health and well being hub.  Fortrose academy recognised the importance of having a dedicated space for their students but with no extra space in the school, they approached us to build them a garden room.  The garden room size would be 4mx3m from our signature Cairngorm range.

The Challenge: A garden room with carefully considered materials and smart design.

The project involved designing and constructing a garden room as an extra classroom space for the students.  Our goal was to create a welcoming environment conductive to relaxation and reflection.  Working closely with the school, we designed a garden room that prioritised comfort, accessibility and functionality.  The construction process involved meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of the space contributed to its intended purpose. 

The materials chosen for this project were a key factor in the design stage.  As the build was closer than 10 meters to the school we had to think about non combustible materials.  We decided on James Hardie cladding.  James Hardie fibre cement cladding carries the highest possible fire rating and is naturally resistant to adverse events such as fire, rot and fade, also making the cladding a low maintenance option.  We also used Rockwool insulation which is made from non combustible stone wool which helps limit the spread of fire in a building.  After discussions with the school they decided to go for the grey slate colour option in the cladding.

The Result: A versatile and functional garden room for the students.

The multi-purpose space will cater for a variety of activities, the garden room was designed to be versatile for future use.  The garden room has become a valuable resource for students.  The feedback from students and staff has been extremely positive, highlighting the impact of the garden room on the school community. 

At the garden den we are proud to have played a role in creating a space that promotes mental health and well being for students at Fortrose academy.  By providing a dedicated space for the students we hope to contribute to a brighter future for the next generation.  We are delighted the students have decided to call their garden room - the den.