54
INTERIORS
Quietly refl ecting on the UK’s fi rst GenZero school
S
t Mary’s Voluntary Catholic Academy in Derby is the fi rst completed school in the UK to meet the Department for
Education’s new GenZero specifi cation and biophilic brief. Here, architects Hawkins\ Brown have designed a beautiful combined nursery and primary school following passive design principles comprising fi ve buildings along a central canopy for each age group coupled with amenity blocks for learning resources. They utilised natural materials wherever possible to complement the natural aesthetic and each classroom is open to the outdoors, allowing the children to connect with the natural landscape. The school is net zero carbon in operation and has won the AJ100 Award 2024 Sustainability Initiative of the Year.
As part of the design, Hawkins\Brown worked with acoustic consultants Mach Acoustics and specifi ed Troldtekt’s wood wool acoustic panels across many of the ceilings to help comply with ‘BB93 Standard:
Acoustics in Schools’ which sets out the minimum standards for school acoustics in terms of sound reverberation time and internal ambient noise levels. Procured in an unpainted fi nish, the panels complement the building’s timber cladding and frame, contribute to the biophilic design and, importantly, control the acoustics in the building to provide a quiet environment for learning. Troldtekt wood wool acoustic panels are frequently specifi ed to help transform educational spaces. Available in a wide variety of different structures and colours, they combine optimal sound absorption with an award-winning design. The Troldtekt range has a minimum expected life cycle of 50 years coupled with excellent resistance to humidity and tested to meet ball impact standards. Panels can be supplied as natural wood, unpainted based on FUTURECEM™ offering a reduced carbon footprint or fi nished in almost any RAL or NCS colour.
info@troldtekt.co.uk www.troldtekt.com
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF MAY 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
