design solutions
Sevenoaks School invests in science
Gilbert Ash has built a £30m science and technology centre at Sevenoaks School, a co-educational independent school in Kent, which opened to students in November 2018
T
he project comprised the demolition of the Marley Sports Hall and Aisher Hall buildings to release the site for the construction of a Science, Technology and Sixth Form Centre building. Tim Ronalds Architects designed the new building. The architect has a long association with Sevenoaks, having been appointed to devise a Masterplan for the long term development of Sevenoaks School in the late 2000s. The first element of the plan, a new Performing Arts Centre, was completed in April 2010. In the new state of the art Science and Technology Centre, on a site overlooking Knole Park, the laboratories are arranged on three floors around a toplit atrium, lined with display vitrines. The building is conceived as a science workshop - a place for experimentation and discovery. It included 20 multidisciplinary labs; two specialist project labs; four technology teaching spaces; a CAD-CAM room; material prep areas; ‘science lounge’ for display and research; and advanced projects workshops.
Focusing on the health and wellbeing of the students, the project also incorporates informal meetings spaces; group working spaces; study areas; and a sixth form pastoral service office, along with a careers resource centre. The Sixth Form Centre provides sophisticated social, study and educational space for the school’s 400 sixth formers, linked to an extensive multi-purpose space for exams and events of all kinds.
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The project, which accommodates over 1,200 students and staff, has been built over four floors of 8500 sqm internal floor area, and is on a part sloping site within the school grounds. The new building has a flat slab structure for the lower levels and a steel framed structure and pre-cast concrete slab roof structure with zinc sheet roof finish and extensive roof lights. External walls comprise facing brickwork on met sec frame and internal linings; steel windows and glazed screens. The building is largely naturally ventilated with louvered vents beside windows. Sub- structure comprises piled foundations. Technology integration is a key element throughout the entirety of the project, including the first install of a new Building Management system; integration of the mechanically operated roof light and façade ventilation system and associated controls; intelligent lighting controls; and a borewell water cooling system. The building is designed to meet a BREEAM target of “Excellent”. The success of the project and the strong relationships built with the client have led to Gilbert Ash starting another project with the client - a set of boarding accommodation on the Sevenoaks campus.
www.gilbert-ash.com
www.timronalds.co.uk
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