For Affinity Water
Design and build of an educational river model and outdoor classroom
We constructed an outdoor classroom, plus a detailed model to teach thousands of visitors about the different features of a river.
Teaching children how rivers work
The Clay Land Education Centre in Bushey, Hertfordshire, provides practical learning experiences in water, energy and environmental issues. They welcome at least 6000 visitors a year, many of whom are school children. It’s owned by our client Affinity Water – and they invited us to construct an outdoor classroom, and re-design a river model.
A whole river in miniature
The model would be used to educate visitors on the different river features, from source to mouth. To build its elevated casing, we used sleepers and filled it with soil, which was then moulded to create the features of a river (including tributaries, meanders, levees and oxbow lakes).
Rocks were placed at the river’s source, artificial turf was used to cover the flood plains, and for the estuary we used gravel to allow water to soak away. The model is fed using rainwater harvested on site.
The outdoor classroom was constructed with a wooden frame and lined with benches. Detachable blinds gave protection from the elements, come rain or shine.
