- Location:
- Coventry
- Services:
- Budget:
- £36m
- Client:
- BAM Construction
- Sector:
- Education
Education - Further & Higher
With careful considerations placing the ethos of practical learning alongside socialising, sports, activity and faith spaces, the new development forms a cohesive environment that maximises pupil and staff development.
The high quantity of existing curriculum and administration buildings created inefficiencies in day-to-day management, supervision, servicing and maintenance. This was furthered by varying topography and access through the site not meeting current standards. With this in mind, a new building was seen as the best solution, with this helping to utilise site characteristics, whilst being sensitive to the site’s surroundings and local context and addressing the previous issues.
The new layout creates an external central square defined by the existing and new academic buildings. The courtyard provides a focus for calm socialising and learning, including SEN, LRC, science and kitchen gardens which have been centralised to be made visible from most teaching spaces.
New academic and sports and sixth form centre buildings have been arranged parallel or perpendicular to the orthogonal elements of the existing Dining Hall, creating a formalised relationship between them all and allowing for fluid movement between buildings.
There has been a sympathetic response to the existing fabric as a result of discussions with the school. By using a palette of buff and grey tones, a harmonious relationship with the retained dining block has been created but also establishes a seamless courtyard space, which acts as a centerpiece of the scheme. The choice of buff, brown and grey soften the building form, giving off a more natural and subtle appearance.
Aiming to provide a variety of social settings in response to the diversity of age groups and pupil needs, the landscape structure interweaves hard and soft, open and shady areas to enhance wellbeing and biodiversity.
The school has been designed with sustainability at the forefront with a commitment to net zero and minimising carbon emissions. For example, optimisation and utilisation of natural light in buildings as well as air tightness to reduce heating loads in winter have been implemented, alongside a green roof, PV panels and a space for growing vegetables.