Cyril Jackson Primary School

Click here to see this page at our new web site

School children named this piece 'The Magic Ring'. It is constructed from 'green oak' (freshly felled British oak) for Cyril Jackson Primary School, Limehouse, London. The seats are arranged in a horseshoe shape (on plan) which is approximately 8.5 metres wide.  It has been beautifully constructed (with unexpected details) by the furniture maker Tom Straker, who interpreted our drawings and prefabricated the timber work at his Hereford workshop. On site construction was over a three day period, using 4 tons of timber. The seating incorporates the school children's ceramic work within timber cages at the back of the seats and ceramic floor tiles in front of seven benches. The benches are all joined together but separated by brick edged tree planting holes. Young Eucalyptus trees have been planted in the eight holes (one for each class). The trees will give all year shade, absorb air pollution, and subdue the noise of the Docklands Light Railway, that runs in an elevated position along one edge of the school perimeter. Poured rubber safety surface forms a comfortable circular floor area within the horseshoe design. The surface is bright green with an inlaid leaf motif in dark green.