Planning process
A well-managed and inclusive planning process is the most critical factor in the successful development of arts facilities, especially if the facilities are to be effective in curriculum terms. Decisions made early in planning can have a crucial impact on the usability of the facility, and flaws (like the lack of convenient storage space) may be irreversible.
Stages of planning development that have proved helpful for other schools include:
- initial philosophy and concepts
- needs and resource analysis
- establishing a project oversight group
- exploration and consultation
- establishing parameters
- agreeing broad concept
- engaging an architect
- consulting technical experts and other schools.
An inclusive project oversight group
Projects to develop facilities for the arts tend to be more complex and impact on more people than most other school building projects. You need to hear all voices and consider all angles from the outset.
A collaborative oversight group is a crucial element of the process, especially for the performing arts where a range of options will be on the table.
This group should include representatives of board and senior management (including finance and administration), subject or faculty heads, subject specialists, students and members of the community.
By setting up this inclusive group early you can ensure that no issues (especially curriculum issues) are overlooked as the project is taking shape. This might not be the same group that sees the project through to completion – but if it lays comprehensive and inclusive groundwork you can avoid problems and save time and money later.
One school established a 'project control group' at a very early stage. This group met fortnightly throughout the two years of the development and saw itself as checking on the experts. It included a board member with property management experience and subject specialists from within the school. This group should be responsible for briefing the architect/designer.
Role of subject specialists
Subject specialists must be involved throughout the planning process.
The dance, drama or music specialists involved should have a high level of expertise and experience in both the arts curriculum and in classroom teaching. They will need good networks within their disciplines to give them access to broad and informed advice.
If your school does not have this level of expertise on the staff (especially year 1–8 schools and newly established schools), get external support. To find this expertise, you could consult:
- regional advisory services
- curriculum facilitators contracted by the Ministry of Education
- other schools
- subject professional associations
- arts groups in your community.
Once you find the right external person to give specialist advice (or to supplement what your own staff can provide), it's a good idea to involve them throughout the project.
If you do have a subject specialist on the staff, that person might find it difficult to be involved throughout a project because of teaching commitments. This issue has led to problems in many schools. To avoid these, part of the budget for the project could be allocated to additional staffing to free subject specialists to be fully involved in the project.
Project supervision
Project supervision is a key process issue. The board of trustees and principal normally become the chief drivers of building projects in schools. Their levels of understanding of facilities development will vary greatly, and there is no guarantee that any trustees will have a property development background.
Architects and property managers will supervise the actual building project, but if educationalists are not involved throughout, the needs of the curriculum may be compromised. Having a representative project supervision group from the school working with the architect can ensure that all aspects of the development are considered at all stages of the project.
The Ministry of Education has published project management guidelines for schools undertaking property projects.
Choosing an architect
Most architects in New Zealand have little experience in designing specialist teaching facilities for the performing arts. Apart from anything else, there just hasn't been all that much demand for this expertise until recent years.
Many architects have designed performance spaces but their technical skills may be weighted in favour of sound and music rather than dance and drama.
Some schools prefer to use their regular architect, even though this person has limited knowledge of performance spaces, because a priority is to ensure that the arts facility is integrated with the school property plan. Other schools choose an architect with good knowledge of general teaching spaces and ensure that specific technical advice is gained.
On the Ministry of Education's website you will find a Consultant's Billboard, which can give you some ideas about architects and other technical experts.
To assist with the design process and construction contracts, the Ministry of Education also produces Design Standard Guidelines and Consultants and Construction Contracts Guidelines.
Consulting technical experts
A number of technical performing arts experts are available, including theatre, lighting, sound, and acoustics consultants.
Schools that have consulted such experts have conflicting views about the value gained. The issue is that, while many such experts have been involved with theatres and music, few have worked on specialist teaching facilities, especially for dance and drama.
So it is important to find out about the experiences of other schools with building such facilities – that is what this website is all about.
Many principals who have been involved in such projects point out the need for an informed group within the school to evaluate the input of experts – and it is all to the better if the group's members have the confidence and expertise to exert their own influence in these matters.