PROJECT REPORT: EDUCATION & RESEARCH FACILITIES 35
Where internal corridors were necessary, they were designed to double as shared teaching spaces “to reduce wasted circulation,” explains Mognini. “We try to maximise the use of space and the amount of reusable space, so not just have a corridor as a means of connecting the different areas.”
One such example can be found in both blocks B and C, where two classrooms merge together in a way that the ‘corridor’ becomes a shared space. “By making the corridor part of the classroom and part of the teaching space we managed to maximise the use of the areas we have without wasting space on circulation,” Mognini says.
While the open layout and nature of the school works well for its pupils and from a navigational and wayfi nding point of view, it did also present some obstacles when it came to the more practical elements of learning environments. “Acoustics are quite a challenge due to the noise and reverberation generated in open classrooms like these,” admits Mognini. Lighting and ventilation were also carefully considered, with both designed to meet DfE standards. Lighting in particular was tailored in certain areas within the school such as the specialist sensory rooms. The ‘light rooms’ in particular feature sensory lighting and interactive elements such as bubble walls, an LED wall wash which creates an even wash of light across
ADF JANUARY 2026
the surface, a solar projector, bubble column, fi bre optics, infi nity tunnel, an interactive wall and sound system. Other specialist rooms throughout the school include physiotherapy rooms, a multifunctional sensory room which incorporates body rollers, storage swing hooks, a large swing bolster and mats for therapeutic activities, a rebound therapy room which includes a trampoline, and a soft play room equipped with various elements for active exploration and play. There is also a dark therapy room that allows for relaxation and sensory exploration, as well as therapeutic interventions with equipment including a solar projector, UV carpet, and liquid fl oor tiles.
Pupils also have access to a cookery
room fi nished with accessible workstations so they can take part in hands-on cooking activities and a dance studio which features a 10 metre x 2.4 metre tall immersive wall and interactive fl oor. There are also CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) spaces, and a ‘zen den’ designed to help students who need a space to relax and self-regulate. As well as setting the bar high in terms of the facilities on offer, the design was coordinated around achieving a BREEAM Very Good rating. This was achieved through various means, including electric heating and air source heat pumps. “The use of natural materials
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