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PROJECT REPORT: EDUCATION & RESEARCH FACILITIES
building by designing it over two storeys rather than one, while ensuring those on the fi rst fl oor would still have level access to the outside. The external terrace solved the problem of balancing reduced land take with ensuring access. “We try to reduce the footprint as much as we can which is why we opted for a two storey building instead of the more usual single storey form,” Mognini explains.
TIMBER The fi rst fl oor exterior is fi nished with timber cladding, to add further affi nity with the landscape
The practice wanted pupils to always have a connection to nature, whether utilising the outdoor spaces or inside the school buildings. In order to facilitate this, extensive glazing was included throughout to not only allow plenty of light in but offer pupils views outside too. The large windows maximise daylight and views of the surrounding hills and woodland. When the weather allows, learning can take place outside in one of the outdoor classrooms or garden spaces the design team included to, as Mognini explains, “integrate learning with nature.” Outdoor benefi cial facilities for SEND children include a sensory garden, classrooms, growing area, multi-use gaming area and a loop walk and running track. There is also a dedicated forest school area which includes dining spaces, covered play
areas, habitat areas and seating. Material choices played an important role in integrating the school with its surroundings, too. The structure itself comprises a steel frame, fi nished with red brick around the ground fl oor to “refl ect local context,” namely the nearby residential buildings and Castle Hill High School. The fi rst fl oor exterior, up to the pitched roof – is fi nished with timber cladding, chosen to add further affi nity with the nearby green belt. “It provides a more natural setting and identifi es the school, along with the shape of the roof,” explains Mognini. “It’s become quite an identity for the school.”
The use of timber combined with the external terrace, outdoor classrooms and garden spaces all combine to give a strong connection with surrounding nature. “There’s a big interaction between the landscape and our buildings, and we have melded inside and outside,” Mognini says.
Internal access
The design minimises internal corridors, promotes open shared spaces and ensures a smooth transition between blocks via external links.
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