56 HERITAGE & HISTORIC (INCLUDING ADAPTIVE RE-USE) SUPPLEMENT
this would look in reality.” According to Viola, the school were so impressed with the 3D demonstrations that they asked the architects to contribute to an event they’d organised for the children in their own and surrounding schools, as well as a ‘women in architecture’ event – asking the team to present the project to them and explain what architectural engineering is all about.
CONTRASTS The exterior of the extension was designed to contrast with the existing building but also play off its colours
light. In order to work with this, those functions that don't require as much natural light – such as the changing rooms – are located in the dimmer areas, and functions such as teaching space located in the brightest spots. According to Viola, “the glazing was also an opportunity to have views that are both towards the indoor area – providing a visual connection as well as supervision benefits – and towards the outdoors, giving you a feeling that you're connected to the surrounding area.”
This feeling is emphasised by the nearly floor to ceiling glazing specified in the classrooms – which reportedly has already had a “very positive impact” on the level of concentration and comfort of the students, as well as their teachers.
PROJECT FACTFILE
Client: Kingston Academy / Kingston Educational Trust Architect: astudio Project cost: £15m Structural engineer: Elliot Wood Environmental / M&E engineer: Anderson Green Acoustic engineer: MACH Acoustics Landscape architect: Colour-UDL
Collaborative technology The project took a large degree of collaboration to achieve all of its various goals, the architects tell me, praising the structural engineers and M&E teams in particular for their contributions. Steve believes that “collaborative technology” in particular was one of the most important factors in making this all possible. He says: “We used a mixture of BIM and VR so that we could ‘drop people into’ the space, and communicate it quite succinctly to both the client and design team.” One example that Viola gives here is how the team managed to convey the reduction of the structure to “just four columns.” She says: “We introduced an important cantilever on the corner of the building as part of this, and it was really helpful to have CGIs made up to communicate how
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This was reportedly of particular benefit for the STEM-focused school, “fostering an education in that field to them,” and demonstrating future technologies. Another example of successful collaboration was with the subcontractors, as Steve explains: “The roof lights around the central zone were fairly complicated in terms of geometry and connections, but we were able to work with through the main contractor to display the detailed 3D model so that the sub contractors could get it on point – exactly how we wanted to have it.”
Evolution
The architects then tell me of a tour they recently took of the school with its headteacher, saying that the feedback the received from everyone present was “outstanding.”
The teachers were reportedly especially impressed with the quality of the spaces they now have, which are already improving on their day to day teaching life. According to Viola and Steve, the community too has gained, not just in the school’s main functions, but from the public pathway that has been widened, made safer and more accessible.
Both the architects agree that, as discussed, it was partly due to the strength of the original plans that this was able to be achieved, but also in ensuring that the plans not be so rigid as to constrict the scheme or its input from the various contributors. “While you always set out with a brief at the start of a design process, it does evolve,” says Steve. “It’s a new school, a new trust – so the school is learning about their educational philosophy and their vision through the process, and the design had to adapt with it.” Viola adds: “It was definitely a learning process – on one side it has been difficult to meet these requirements, but on the other side we are more confident that what the school finally got is what they actually need.” She concludes: “At the end of the day, this is what architects are always trying to achieve.”
ADF APRIL/MAY 2020
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