- Location:
- Birmingham
- Services:
- Budget:
- £14m
- Client:
- Keir Construction Limited
- Sector:
- Education - Secondary
Lordswood Boys’ School started on site in October 2018 and will be complete by the end of March 2020, although teaching in the new building will start in September this year.
The existing school site is very constrained and this informed the design of the new ‘super-block’, a typology with a very compact footprint and highly-efficient layout. Due to access limitations, the new block is being constructed immediately adjacent to the existing school building which will remain in operation throughout the works. This phased approach has involved partial demolition of the existing school to allow sufficient working space for construction to take place safely. The remainder of the existing school will be fully demolished following handover of the new building, and the site landscaped prior to completion of the project.
The maber team comprises architects, landscape architects and interior designers working together in a common BIM Level 2 environment with the rest of the design team and main contractor.
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A great deal of work went into optimising the very tight site to provide a legible building that presents a robust and well ordered clay brick façade before welcoming students into the lofty, well-lit three storey social space inside. The landscape architecture provides great play and social space along with team sports surfaces, all linked together to form a clearly defined route to and from the building.
The boys and staff at the school will soon be enjoying a major improvement in their teaching and learning spaces, and maber believes the project demonstrates what can be achieved through a well-considered efficient design within the constraints of a modest budget.
