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The Queen opens Ynysowen Primary School
April 30, 2012 at 10:23 AM
White Design was delighted to be involved in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee visit to Wales last Friday. Founding Director, Craig White, was invited to the official opening of Ynysowen Primary School by Her Royal Highness and The Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen first visited Aberfan in 1966, after the disastrous landslide that led to the collapse of the original school building. In 1973 the Queen opened a community centre in Aberfan to commemorate those lost to the disaster. Now the Queen will officially open the new school at Aberfan - Ynysowen Community Primary School.
White Design developed Ynysowen Primary School for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council offering 300 primary school places and 40 nursery places, the school incorporates a range of community spaces, designed for zoned, out-of-hours use.
Environmental features include the specification of FSC timber, solar panels and ground source heat pumps, while the building benefits from natural daylighting and ventilation systems. The rain water harvesting system has an internal, transparent water pipe and measurement display, used as a practical learning tool.
During the Royal visit the Queen spoke to Craig White who says:
“I explained to the Queen that the school had an upside-down roof which collects all the rain water and the children can flush the toilets here using that water - something that really appeals to the children,” he said. “The Queen said that we were never going to be short of water in Wales,” he added.
