Building Fabric:Layout 1 01/07/2009 13:08 Page 27
building fabric
Blending the old and the new
A common problem facing architects briefed with designing school extensions is how to
marry the old with the new in a sympathetic way. This was the situation facing Ian Wilson of
Howl Associates for a new scheme at Lickey End First School in Bromsgrove, where there
was a requirement for two new classrooms and facilities to be added to an existing
Victorian school.
T
HE INTERFACE between the new out correctly. Additional attention to
and existing buildings required detail was required internally as the
careful consideration as the new plaster finish of the curved wall continues
scheme is wedged in between the existing up seamlessly to meet the rooflight frame.
school, a wildlife garden, school car park A major element of the new design is
and the main road, with the added the sedum roof over the new classrooms,
complication of significant level changes which is also appreciated by locals as
on site. The brief also included introducing they look over the school from above.
light and ventilation into one of the Among the eco benefits of sedum,
existing classrooms. rainwater attenuation was achieved
The link between the existing and new resulting in minimal disruption of the
buildings was paramount to the project’s established wildlife garden by reducing
success, and the design solution came in the size of the soakaway required.
the form of an 8m curved array of
rooflights incorporating 14 dark grey Lightwells
steel special Plateau Rooflights from the In the existing Victorian building, dating
Rooflight Company. The rooflights afford back to 1894, additional natural light and
a visual solution whilst flooding the linking ventilation was introduced by means of
space below with natural light, so that two pairs of linked Conservation
artificial light is only required at night and Rooflights, which were installed in two
on the dullest of days. The issue of newly created lightwells. The new
ventilation was solved by the provision of rooflights sit flush in the roof and do not
five manually-operated casements. detract from the typical Victorian gables.
Tight tolerances had to be met at all
stages to ensure each rooflight link sat
directly over a timber roof joist. To www.howl.co.uk
facilitate accurate installation, the
rooflights were delivered early to site to
www.therooflightcompany.co.uk
ensure the joiners were able to lay them
edbmagazine.co.uk 27
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