Schools For The Future - Exemplar Designs Compendium

H00944 Compendium Cover 5/2/04 4:07 pm Page 1
schools for the
future
Exemplar Designs
concepts and ideas
H00944 Inside Cover a/w 5/2/04 3:52 pm Page 1
Primary Exemplar Key Secondary Exemplar Key
1 Nursery playroom 51 English classroom 97 Library resource centre and

2 Class storage 52 Walk-in store careers
3 Cloakrooms/lunch box storage 53 Staff work room (shared) 98 Sixth form study area
4 Nursery toilets/hygiene facilities 54 Head of Year office 99 Central stock store
5 Reception class 55 Modern Foreign Languages 100 Librarian
6 Wet area classroom 101 Sixth form social
7 Class storage 56 Seminar room 102 SEN therapy/MI room
8 Cloakrooms 57 Small group room 103 SEN case conference/tutorial
9 Infant classbase (Year 1) (foreign language assistant) 104 SENco/wheelchair/appliances
10 Small group room 58 Humanities classroom store
11 Infant classbase (Year 2) 59 Small group room 105 SENco office
12 Specialist store 60 Business Studies classroom 106 Hygiene room
(numeracy/literacy, etc.) 61 Information Technology room 107 Head’s office
13 Junior classbase (Year 3) 62 ICT technician 108 Meeting room
14 Junior classbase (Year 4) 63 Server 109 General office
15 Junior classbase (Year 5) 64 Mathematics classroom 110 Sick bay
16 Junior classbase (Year 6) 65 Science laboratory 111 Entrance/reception
17 Library resource centre 66 Science prep room 112 Accessible toilet and shower
18 ICT suite 67 Chemical store (visitors and staff)
19 ICT technician/server 68 Office 113 Staff room (social)
20 Creative space 69 Food room 114 Reprographics
(food/D&T/science/art) 70 Food prep room 115 Dining area
21 Main hall 71 Multi-materials workshop 116 Kitchen (including staff and stores)
22 Chair store (including heat bay or 117 Caretaker’s office
23 Staging/appliance store CAD/CAM) 118 Maintenance store
24 PE store 72 Multi-materials prep room 119 Lockers for personal storage
25 Studio (small hall) 73 Electronics control technology 120 Pupil toilets
26 Changing rooms 74 Constructional textiles (including accessible cubicles)
27 Kitchen/servery 75 Graphics room 121 Staff toilets
28 Head’s office 76 Design resource area 122 Visitors’ toilets
29 Meeting room 77 Textiles art room 123 Lift
30 Senior management office 78 3D art room 124 Plant
31 Staff room 79 Kiln room 125 Void
32 Copier/reprographics 80 General art room 126 Cycle racks
33 Central stock 81 Darkroom 127 Bin store/deliveries
34 Caretaker’s office/maintenance 82 Music recital
store 83 Music classroom
35 Sick bay 84 Music group/practice rooms
36 General office 85 Music ensemble room
37 Entrance/reception 86 Recording/control room
38 Interview/social services room 87 Drama studio
39 MI/therapist room 88 Instrument store
40 Small group room (SENco) 89 4-court sports hall
41 Parents/community room 90 PE store
42 Accessible toilet (visitors) 91 Activity studio
43 Staff toilets 92 Pupil changing rooms and
44 Cleaners’ stores showers
45 Lift 93 PE staff changing and shower
46 Plant 94 Main hall
47 Bin store 95 Chair store
48 Covered area 96 Secure/exam/community
49 Enclosed bridge link stores
50 Open bridge link with roof over
H00944 themes a/w 5/2/04 4:13 pm Page 1
exemplar designs concepts and ideas
foreword
schools for the future
Our new Building Schools for the Future In June 2003, as part of Building Schools for
programme gives us a unique opportunity to the Future, I announced that eleven design
transform our secondary schools into teams had been appointed to develop
innovative learning environments that will exemplar designs for schools fit for the
inspire pupils to achieve more. High quality, twenty-first century. They examined both
modern school buildings, with the latest primary and secondary schools, including a
integrated ICT systems, will help to raise 5 to 18 all-through school, on a range of
standards and will play a crucial part in our sites. Now you can see many of their ideas
ambitious programme of educational reform. set out in the pages of this book – a
Our challenge is to provide attractive, compendium of designs. These are not
imaginative and stimulating environments, intended to be templates, but to act as
which are also safe and secure places for springboards for developing imaginative and
children to learn in. They should be inclusive, sustainable school buildings, tailored to local
so that no child is left out and all can achieve needs and aspirations. They can serve as
their full potential, and be open to wider use, advanced starting points in the design
binding schools into their local communities. process and will help to deliver excellent value
Overall, they must make a major contribution for money.
to radically improving educational
opportunities. I hope that you will find many of the ideas
here as exciting as I do, and that some of you
will be able to develop these ideas into
finished school buildings. Our common aim
must be to create for children and for
communities the schools they need and
deserve.
David Miliband MP
Minister of State for School Standards,
one
acknowledgments
We would like to thank the following organisations that gave assistance to DfES and the design teams in development of the exemplar designs:
Secondary Heads Association (SHA)

Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)
School Works
The Sorrell Foundation
British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta)
Learning through Landscapes (LTL)
Zurich Municipal
Mtech Group Limited (Mtech)
Public Private Partnerships Programme (4ps)
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
The Design Council
Partnerships for Schools (PfS)
We record our thanks to the representatives of these organisations and the headteachers and bursars of the schools who helped us on page 120.
Our particular thanks to the following headteachers and their whole school community for agreeing to partner one particular design team and act
as a client group with the Schools Briefing and Design Unit (SBDU) ‘buddies’ throughout the process.
Primary
Claire Axten Brookside Community Primary School Walters and Cohen (P1)
Vicky Morton Temple Primary School Cottrell + Vermeulen Architecture (P2)
Sue Roach Victoria Dock Primary School Marks Barfield (P3)
Amanda Dennison Millennium Primary School Building Design Partnership (P4)
Christine Smith Walton Holymoorside School Sarah Wigglesworth Architects (P5)
(Acting head)
Secondary
Angela Armytage Yewlands School (Technology College) MACE Ltd (RTKL) (S1)
Peter Smith Blyth Community College Wilkinson Eyre Architects (S2)
Paul Kelly Monkseaton Community High School de Rijke Marsh Morgan (dRMM) (S3)
Sir Iain Hall Parrs Wood Technology College Alsop Architects (S4)
Wendy Parmley Archbishop Michael Ramsey Technology College Penoyre and Prasad (S5)
(Principal)
All-through
Alison Banks Chafford Hundred Campus Schools Feilden Clegg Bradley
The core team in SBDU included:
Mukund Patel – Head of SBDU

Andy Thompson – Project Manager
Russell Symes – Deputy Project Manager
Beech Williamson – Preparation of the brief and compendium publication
Chris Bissell – Liaison for publication design team
and the other SBDU ‘buddies’ and support staff who gave that extra bit to get this task complete.
We are very grateful for the patience and forebearance of Phil Thomas and Colin Williams and their team at Hieroglyphics Design and
Communications, who had to put up with a lot to deliver this compendium and its related publications and DVDs as such timely and
high quality products.
two
introduction
Context The Challenge
School buildings have a crucial part to play in This offers a rare opportunity to transform the
helping to raise educational standards. In educational built environment and must not
recognition of this, the Government has made be wasted. The legacy of the last major
huge increases in capital investment in school building programme is still with us,
schools during the last five years – from under and still being paid for. The many over-glazed,
£700 million in 1996-97 to £3.8 billion this poorly insulated and often porous buildings of
financial year, rising to £5.1 billion in 2005-06. the sixties and seventies generally have high
Of necessity, a great deal of this funding has running costs and, unless well maintained, do
focused on catching up on a backlog of not provide the learning and working
priority repairs or replacements, as well as on environments needed today. We need to
carrying out much needed improvements to make sure that the same mistakes are not
accommodation. So far, it has not been repeated now.
possible to initiate a major new building
programme. Now, this is set to change. There are also many school buildings that,
while functioning well, are not interesting
The increase in annual funding to £5.1 billion places for children or adults to be in. Do they
marks a leap forward in investment planning. contribute to raising educational
It will enable strategic and radical changes to achievement? The designs of some other
be made to the schools estate. Around building types – offices, galleries and
£2 billion a year will be spent on Building museums, research centres – have changed
Schools for the Future – a programme with enormously in the last twenty years, but most
the aim of rebuilding and renewing all schools built during the last 30 years could
secondary schools over the next ten to fifteen have been designed 60 years ago. We need
years. Over the same period, there will also to move forward and develop new ideas for
be substantial new investment in primary school design that are exciting and really
school buildings. work.
three
To deliver the best and most effective • changes in school organisation – such as the focus of this book, is by the
education, exploiting all the possibilities of greater autonomy, more individualised development of exemplar designs –
Information and Communications Technology learning, a different school day and year, concepts and ideas – that can be used
(ICT), school buildings need to be designed all-through schools, perhaps fully as the starting point for developing high-
so that they stimulate children’s imaginations integrating SEN provision, or schools within quality school buildings.
and reflect advances in technology. They schools – where large schools are
need to provide high quality environments subdivided into smaller self-contained units
that are conducive to learning and functional, with vertical structures (the ‘house’ model); Aims
without being boring. They must be both • structural changes – such as rural schools
flexible and adaptable, to cope with changes forming clusters or federations to overcome The exemplar designs featured here are
in a future that we cannot predict. the problems of size and isolation, or the intended to demonstrate how high standards
development of education parks where of school building design can be achieved
What can be predicted is what the major schools, colleges and other facilities share within our area and cost guidelines, and to
drivers of change in school building design a campus; help streamline the development and
are likely to be. For example: • growth in the provision of extended schools procurement process.
and increased networking between them
• developments in education – such as so that facilities are not unnecessarily In commissioning them, we set out to:
changes to the curriculum like the duplicated;
emerging 14 to 19 agenda, spreading the • ICT already influences how accommodation • develop a shared vision of Schools for the
expertise of the most able teachers more is planned, but will its fast rate of evolution Future;
widely, greater numbers and a wider range result in its impact on school building • create benchmarks for well-designed
of support staff who will bring a variety of design decreasing over the next few years, schools;
skills to the classroom, and the need to while offering alternatives to traditional • push forward the boundaries of innovation
accommodate a range of group sizes that schooling for some? and inspiration;
could vary during the course of a lesson; • support the delivery of Building Schools for
• the challenge of making schools inclusive, While there will always be many unknowns, the Future;
both for those with Special Education we have to look at new ways of developing • encourage industry to develop new ways of
Needs (SEN) or disabilities, and, outside designs that are deliverable and will help to delivering school buildings.
the school day, for the wider community; create schools for the future. One way, and
Drawing by: a pupil at Wrockwardine Junior School, Telford and Wrekin

By publishing the exemplar designs without The Design Process schemes to a committee of environment
copyright restrictions we hope to encourage professionals. The committee had some
other designers to use the ideas. However, Each design team was allocated a partner background on the project brief beforehand
while the exemplar designs could be built if school and a ‘buddy’ within the Schools and based the review on the key drawings,
developed further, they are not intended to be Building and Design Unit (SBDU) to act as a short presentations by the design teams, and
seen as single solutions to any school. client. Buddies were intended to be their first a question and answer session. The full
Designers may wish to develop their own points of contact within the DfES, to offer comments of the Special Design Review
schemes using the best of the exemplar advice when needed and to monitor progress. Meeting were passed on to the design teams
concepts. The Emerging Themes section and summaries of them are included in the
aims to highlight the best ideas, and identify The main programme ran from June to case studies.
further work that may be required. October 2003, commencing with a two-day
seminar encompassing workshops covering
various aspects of school design. This was How to use the Compendium
Scope followed up by further sessions on issues
such as ICT, off-site construction and This book draws together all eleven schemes
After a rigorous procurement exercise, we landscaping, together with visits to notable in the form of case studies, highlighting the
appointed eleven design teams to develop schools – projects that are generally main elements of their designs. They represent
the exemplars. These comprised both large recognised for their design quality. Once diverse and different solutions that may suit a
and small practices. Five worked on primary design work was well under way, progress variety of sites, but the aim of this book is to
schools, five on secondary schools and one meetings were held where developing highlight the best ideas and concepts that can
worked on an all-through primary and schemes were presented and reviewed. be adapted to future school design. In the
secondary school. We asked them to develop These enabled teams to network with each section before the case studies we take the
ideas to outline design stage – RIBA Plan of other and share ideas. There were also opportunity to draw out emerging themes –
Work Stage C or D – and they were given a several milestone meetings. innovative and/or notable design ideas that
detailed ‘core’ brief that required: run through some or all of the exemplars,
The first of these meetings was held in such as clusters of teaching spaces – of the
• inspirational designs to stimulate both September, where design teams presented brief as well as a summary that each of the
pupils and the school workforce; their schemes to Focus Groups – one each design teams was asked to meet, with some
• flexibility to allow short-term changes in for primary and secondary. These groups commentary on how well they did. Following
teaching methods and the integration of included headteachers (including some from the case studies are schedules of
ICT; the partner schools), bursars, education accommodation, cost studies and an
• adaptability to suit longer-term changes in advisors and other architects experienced in afterword indicating where we go from here.
the size or number of rooms, and to school design. Each team received feedback
provide a ‘kit of parts’ that could suit a on the views of the Focus Groups, together The designs have been taken to RIBA Stage C,
variety of sites and types of schools; with comments made by group members and we would anticipate that all of the schemes
• inclusive designs for those with SEN or who had been unable to attend the meetings, could be developed to the next stage with a
disabilities; but had received sets of key drawings. They real client and site. To support that process we
• community use, outside the school day; then had a limited time to respond to the are also publishing copies of each Design Team
• excellent environmental design, to at least comments before finalising their designs. Report, which describe the background and
meet standards of Building Bulletins (BB) applications for each design in a lot more detail.
87 and 93; The majority of the design teams worked hard Equally, it would be perfectly valid for ideas from
• safe, secure and sustainable designs; towards the end of the design period to any number of the schemes to be used
• suitability of designs for some off-site ensure that the area was in line with the brief; together in different contexts.
construction. with at least the net area required, but within
the gross area assumed. This is a challenge As the title suggests, the exemplars are not
Each design team was given two real but in any design, but often a crucial issue to blueprints for how schools should be
unidentified sites. Each site had similar ensure the brief is fulfilled within budget. designed, but cover ideas and concepts that
location characteristics (urban or rural) and should help us to create Schools for the
various typical constraints, such as size, slope While some teams took the decision to try to Future. Presented here as a stimulus to
and noise. In addition, the design teams were provide more area within the budget, most innovative, high quality design, they can be
required to show how their designs could be accepted that it was important to keep the used to help create briefs, or as advanced
adapted to suit a number of variations on the gross area within limits, to ensure that the starting points in the design process. They
core brief, covering different sizes of schools, funding could provide a good specification at each need to be developed further for a
different curriculum and organisational the highest allowable cost per m2. This was specific client and site, and Local Education
requirements and additional non-school particularly important as the requirements of Authorities (LEAs) and individual schools will
support facilities. Full details of the brief are BB87 and 93 are quite demanding. still need a full, high quality design team to
set out on pages 23-27. design their own school projects. The
At the beginning of December, after designs exemplars must be seen in the context of
had been completed, the Commission for other excellent, inspiring national and
Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) international school designs – built work
organised a Special Design Review Meeting which it is useful for clients commissioning
where the teams were asked to present their new school buildings to study and visit.
five
emerging themes
and the brief
Sarah Wigglesworth’s
primary school
features over-sailing
roofs and a pebble-
like nursery
inspiration
The inspirational designs seen in these pages should positively influence the
behaviour and enthusiasm of pupils and staff. A design should not in itself dictate a
school’s teaching methods or organisation. Instead, as these do, it should allow the
schools’ own ideas to be implemented, whether traditional or innovative
The aesthetics of some of the following These designs offer a resource for school flexible curriculum, offer more facilities to the
schemes clearly capture the imagination as communities as they think about how they wider community, provide high quality working
belonging to the twenty-first century. Other translate their visions for themselves into environments for staff, and create state-of-
designs may appear more traditional from the effective learning environments. Each design the-art learning spaces for pupils.
outside, but offer interior spaces that can be offers a unique view of what schools of the
the central heart of the school or give the future could be like. They open up
school a distinctive character. possibilities for schools to deliver a more
de Rijke Marsh
Morgan’s ‘dura’
will capture
imaginations, but
will clearly be
appropriate only in
certain settings
In their primary
school design
Alsop’s ‘test-bed’ Walters and Cohen
can include have a central
amorphous learning ‘heart space’
pods and stair accommodating a
towers variety of activities
eight
Bottom left: Top right:

de Rijke Marsh Cottrell + Vermeulen
Morgan’s classroom place the hall and a
pods can be cyber café (also
triangular or available to pupils as
trapezoidal, offering a supplement to the
configurations small ICT suite) at
difficult to achieve the front of the
with rectangular school. They
rooms. However, envisage the building
furniture and forming the street
equipment layouts frontage in a variety
would need testing: of contexts. As
rectangular rooms such, it has a
tend to offer the chameleon
most flexible and approach to façade
efficient internal options, taking on,
environment for example, the
claddings required
by local planning
regulations
innovation
Design teams were encouraged to consider innovative solutions. The next few
pages highlight concepts common to a number of teams, but developed in
different ways to address the challenges of designing schools for the future
The design teams worked with their ‘partner Many of the designs also involve innovative modern construction methods in any
schools’ to identify their needs and question façades which can be altered to match the replication of the designs. Further work would
some design traditions. Some teams proposed needs of the site or the school. need to be done to develop systems that
alternatives to rectangular classrooms, while would be cost effective, but off-site
others wrestled with the challenge to provide A modular approach has been investigated by techniques could significantly reduce the time
more area within the confines of the budget. many design teams, to make the most of and cost involved in construction.
Penoyre and Prasad

propose an
innovative façade
using glazing
technology to
enhance daylight
and incorporating a
sound-attenuated
emerging themes
mechanical
ventilation system,
based on individual
air handling and heat
recovery units for
each classroom
within the wall space
nine
The ‘deck’ level of

de Rijke Marsh
Morgan’s secondary
school includes
open plan areas at
the edge for social
areas and individual
learning. However,
these may suffer
acoustic conflicts
with other open
areas
Mace involved pupils

in early workshops
and tested their
designs with
‘scenario testing’
a school for us
The school community must be part of the design process, and it is beneficial
to all to let pupils express their views. Pupils are an ever-changing group, but the
teams have proposed ways to involve them in the continuing design process, and
to give them their own space in social and study areas
At the beginning of the design process, many As discussed later, most schemes provide ‘break out’ spaces. However, the need for
design teams organised user workshops with intimate or covered outdoor areas as a space shared ICT resources may be declining: in
pupils and staff from their partner school. to socialise during breaks, and some provide discussion with heads and educational
One drafted a user manual aimed at primary extra internal space for this. In line with the advisors, the secondary exemplar brief is
schools. Pupils had clear views about what 14 to 19 agenda, many of the exemplar based on the option of large classrooms, to
would make their school better, often secondary school designs provide study allow for an increasing amount of ICT in the
focusing on areas which are particularly areas for individual learning or informal ICT. class (as well as further inclusion of pupils
important to them, including toilets and space The variety of settings, both within and with SEN or disabilities), and assumes IT
to socialise, as well as the colour, shape and beyond the requirements of the brief, ranges rooms are only needed to teach IT as a
even sounds of the school environment. from large central resource areas to small subject.
Alsop’s central side but large Cottrell + Vermeulen school pupils and
atrium features enough for lockers, proposed a user staff to effectively set
bridge links from the with social and manual aimed at a good brief for new
main circulation, study areas hung helping primary buildings
which is only on one within the void
ten
Alsop’s inner city

‘community
campus’ variation
enhances the
street under the
main building to
include business
units, a public
library and health
care facilities, as
well as alternative
catering provision
available to the
community and
school alike
in the community
All exemplar designs are inclusive, with features suitable for the pupils and, outside
school hours, the wider community. Variations to the core brief include additional
‘extended schools’ facilities that can be used by the community during the school
day, such as early years provision, a public library and a health centre
Many of the exemplar designs separate the dimensions and specifications. Outdoor The brief for the exemplar primary school
buildings that can be used by the community sports facilities include a multi-use games design included two supplementary spaces
from the main school buildings. Those with area on every site, as well as the option of a for community use during the school day –
multi-storey solutions for confined sites have larger all-weather pitch on all but the most a parents’/community room and a social
used this to allow the ground floor to be confined urban sites. services/interview room.
accessible to the community, with the facilities
that might be shared, while remaining school
areas are on the more secure upper levels.
The secondary school sports hall and primary

school main activity hall were required to be
designed to Sports England minimum community/
sports hall
Marks Barfield’s
solution for rural
primary schools
allows the main hall
to be available for
the community
during the school
day: as the village
entrance forecourt hall in the smallest
1
/2FE option (as
shown here), or as
main entrance an enhanced
community provision
in the 2FE ‘extended
school’ variation.
However, this can
mean that the hall
may be more difficult
to access by pupils.
The studio
emerging themes
space (which is
Mace have allowed could be in new supplementary area
for further education buildings, or perhaps in the 1/2FE option)
facilities to be the original buildings is enhanced by the
opposite the school, where a school has circulation route to
with a clear link been rebuilt on the playground provide the dining
between. These same site area
eleven
Like all the primary

school designs,
Sarah
Wigglesworth’s
scheme includes a
large and airy main
hall and an ICT suite
– in this case linked
to the library.
However, there may

be limited options for
the use of this space
in the future, as
computers become
more common in the
classbases and less
necessary in a
separate suite
schools for today

The brief required design teams to create schools that would respond to the
demands of current teaching styles and organisation: suitable, safe and secure
places for staff to work; stimulating and inclusive for all pupils to learn
As discussed on page 23, the exemplar purposes in the future as ICT becomes more The designs were required to show an
‘core’ brief for both the primary and common, smaller and more mobile: in theory, understanding of equal opportunities in
secondary schools is based on a typical it could be used to enhance the size of all the education for everyone. This includes
curriculum and organisation, with other classbases. appropriate provision for individual learning
current models as variations. This is to ensure needs, enabling full participation in life at
that any exemplar design will be completely The brief includes areas to address the needs school and in activities outside the school day,
suitable for contemporary teaching, while of the workforce reform agenda (see page and thus promoting a sense of being part of
allowing alternative options in the future. 24). It also requires the designs to provide a the community. A variation to both core briefs
suitable level of security, not just in terms of is an integrated complex needs resource for
For instance, the 2FE primary school ‘core’ surveillance or supervised entrances, but also pupils with complex and severe SEN and
brief includes an ICT suite for current use, but in an overall feeling of a secure, organised, disabilities that would require specialist facilities
this area would probably be used for other safe environment, both inside and out. over and above those in the ‘core’ brief.
Feilden Clegg
Bradley’s ‘all As well as offering a school workforce
through’ school has secure design, reform agenda. A
shared facilities for Walters and Cohen’s staff room and
pupils with SEN and primary school terrace for relaxing
disabilities, which design includes and socialising are
are central to the secondary spaces which enable on the first floor
whole school and school teachers to make above a ‘quiet’
suitable for all ages. entrance the most of their workspace.
This allows the administration primary time for planning, However, the need
maximum offices school preparation and for a lift to such a
specialisation of inclusion entrance assessment - a key small amount of first
facilities, rather than support feature of the floor space is not an
replicating resources suite Government’s economic solution
twelve
Penoyre and with related social

Prasad’s multi-storey and staff space. All
solution can be the facilities that can
organised to provide be used by the
most teaching areas community out of
for each year group school hours are on
on one floor, along the ground floor
ideas for tomorrow

The brief also required designs that could easily be adapted to new and innovative
educational ideas in the next decade and beyond. We don’t yet know what these
ideas might be, but the design teams envisaged some possible scenarios
Most of the design teams explored ways that Many of the teams developed opportunities
schools might develop in the future, as they for reorganising large schools into smaller
are given more autonomy to change the pastoral groups, particularly in the secondary
length of school days, introduce vocational and ‘all-through’ schools. A common concept
studies in and out of the school environment, is the ‘school within a school’, where all the
and organise in federated or smaller units. general and practical teaching spaces for one
year group or house group can be provided in
The ‘all-through’ school was based on a core one distinct area, with only large and
brief of a 2FE primary and 6FE secondary performance spaces being shared. This could
school combined, with the option of 4FE in help pupils to have a stronger sense of their
every year. However, this and other options own ‘place’, and also reduce the time used in
need to be fully researched to gauge the and potential crowding related to circulating
educational, pastoral and transport around the school.
implications.
Wilkinson Eyre’s
‘learning clusters’
can provide ‘a
school within a
school’ in each one
Feilden Clegg
emerging themes
Bradley’s ‘all-
through’ school can
be organised in
various ways,
including a middle
school with year
bases in each corner
thirteen
Marks Barfield offers doors (computer

deliverable classrooms modelling has shown
by using a simple the acoustics to be
replicable box as the adequate). The internal
basis of the primary walls in each box can
school design, be moved or removed
although this can have to create larger
limitations. Within each spaces, or to use the
box, they envisage ICT area as part of a
classbases without classbase
flexibility
To allow for future change, flexibility and adaptability are key design requirements
for any school. In the short term, flexibility is needed to rearrange the teaching
environment to suit different activities. This may be as simple as moving furniture
and equipment, but the size and shape of any room must suit a variety of layouts
Most design teams have showed a variety of is often not as simple as it may sound; the Other designs use relocatable ‘pods’ for small
indicative furniture layouts in teaching spaces, acoustic insulation of a sliding/folding door is group rooms, stores or similar. This helps to
but some of these would need to be more rarely sufficient in itself, so further acoustic address the need for small group rooms to
thoroughly tested at the next design stage. design is needed to ensure compliance with have an acoustic separation for use by
the requirements of BB93. The option of assistants or as ‘break-out’ spaces for pupils
In some of the designs, the building provides merging spaces can be useful for with behavioural difficulties.
flexibility through moving walls, although this examinations at some times of the year.
Wilkinson Eyre’s number around any

scheme uses shape of ‘agora’.
relocatable pods within This may be
the central ‘agora’ for particularly Penoyre and allow various options provide various sizes
flexibility, and also appropriate for Prasad’s clusters whilst providing of rooms, from
offers adaptability schools that are include a adequate sound standard classrooms
through a collection of modernising some configuration of separation between to one space for
buildings which could existing buildings movable and fixed teaching spaces. open plan learning
be replicated in any and replacing others partition walls that Each cluster can
fourteen
Feilden Clegg
Bradley have an
adaptable four-room
cluster in each
corner of the
secondary portion of
their all-through
school, with facilities
in between offering
the option of further
rooms, but not as
part of the group.
One of each set is a
larger room, offering
an excellent group
facility for a 4FE
middle school, with
four classes in each
year, or for other
arrangements of four
groups, but offering
limited options for
other sizes of group
adaptability
In the longer term, adaptability is needed over the life of the school to allow
internal walls to be moved to change the size or use of spaces or suites
of spaces. The exemplar designs were also required to be able to be
adapted from the start to suit different school sites, sizes and types
Walters and Cohen heart space to be Perhaps the most common and frequent parts of the school rather than everywhere
use movable pods flexible. The primary changes that schools are required to address (for instance for GNVQ courses with a heavy
for stores or small school design also
group rooms, as uses modular toilet are changing curriculum needs and the use of use of ICT).
well as movable blocks which may ICT. This can involve a relatively minor change
shelving units, to be manufactured of room use, but relocating a suite of As the exemplar designs are intended to be
allow their central off-site
computers for example, or ensuring that one replicable in different sites and situations,
more art room can be accommodated within most of the design teams have developed a
the suite of art spaces, can often be very ‘kit of parts’ that can be adapted in the initial
difficult in current school designs. The design to accommodate schools of different
organisational and curriculum variations to the sizes or age ranges, or with differing
core brief demonstrate how each scheme has organisations or teaching methods. Again,
addressed this. variations to the core brief included other
sizes and organisational systems to test how
Many design teams foresee more open plan the schemes could be adapted, for instance
arrangements being more common in the as a phased approach to an increasing
future, and have developed learning areas number on roll.
that could provide a traditional arrangement,
or could be used as larger rooms with smaller
seminar rooms adjacent, following the higher
49m2 classrooms education model, or even totally
open plan. However, this is
perhaps most likely to be in
Building Design
Partnership use a
modular approach in
emerging themes
their multi-storey city

primary school.
The 2FE core brief
can be extended to
3FE by the addition
of further standard
63m2 classrooms units
fifteen
Alsop use a multi-

storey, extendable
7.2m zone of
general space on
one side of an organised in a
atrium. This space similar way, albeit
can be used to within the
provide any range of constraints of the
spaces from fixed stair well
classbases to open elements, or could
plan, with a 9m wide be based on
more heavily modular
serviced zone on the components slotted
atrium’s other side. in like books on a
This could be shelf
linear cloisters
Extendable linear forms have been used by many of the design teams to allow easy
expansion of the school, or provide various sizes to be used on other sites. These
forms offer the best solution to the ongoing adaptability requirements of changing
room sizes or functions over the life of the school
In a long, uninterrupted space, any Wilkinson Eyre (like
arrangement of rooms is possible and easily Penoyre and Prasad)
provide six-room
achievable over time. Six 57m2 primary clusters with two
classbases and a 36m2 ICT suite, for sets of three rooms
instance, could be adapted to become six of about 60m2 on
either side of a
63m2 classbases in the future. However, in a circulation area. This
secondary school, this method may mean 180m2 area is
that departments or year groups can lack an proving to offer a
wide variety of
identity. options for future
adaptability.
A shorter space of 180m2 offers a reasonable
The first floor terrace
number of options, including three 60m2 in each cluster block
classrooms, two 90m2 laboratories or would be pleasant
practical spaces, or one large area with when south-facing,
and this and the
smaller group rooms adjacent. Secondary double height space
schemes with six classroom learning clusters at the other end can
include an area of about 100m2 on each side provide opportunities
for extension
of a corridor or resource area.
Cottrell + Vermeulen moving the wall

(like Sarah between the
Wigglesworth) use a classbase and the
line of classbases off corridor, so the
an extendable corridor can be used
circulation route, for shared teaching
although this can when there are
involve long travel smaller classrooms.
distances in larger However, moving the
primary schools. The walls between
variety of classbase classbases would
sizes required by the allow still more
brief is achieved in options
both cases by
sixteen
Mace use a four- they also suggest central resource area space, although this
room cluster as the five- and six-room which can give the may be above the
basis of their core options as shown cluster a character brief requirements
secondary school above. Each cluster and provide and the budget
scheme, although also has a small welcome additional
learning clusters
Clusters of classes, in various forms, are the common theme in almost all of the
secondary schemes, as well as the all-through school. User focus groups saw the
advantages of this layout, which clearly enhances a feeling of belonging for each
class, whether as part of a year group, house group or department
However, this option may not address a Four of the design teams have included four- Some offer six-room clusters, which can be
common need for adaptability in a secondary room learning clusters, but four rooms are of more appropriate. Some also have larger
school: the varying sizes of departments and limited use when the brief is for a 6FE school central resource areas which may be more
even year groups. Even in clusters of six, a with six registration groups in each year, a able to be used, for instance, for timetabled
seventh classroom is inevitably ‘left out in the varying number of rooms in each department IT spaces for a group of up to 30, and can
cold’, with less links to the rest of the group (ranging from five to ten), and five year also be used for practical spaces like Design
than in a more traditional linear arrangement. groups, if one chooses a house system. and Technology or art.
de Rijke Marsh areas, although

Morgan’s trapezoidal these central spaces
classrooms can form could be hard to use
clusters around ICT for timetabled
rooms or social teaching groups
Building Design usefully encloses

Partnership’s the central area and
‘beehive’ school ‘play decks’ without
emerging themes
uses a hexagonal unusable corners,

module as the basis particularly in the
of its multi-storey 3FE variation shown.
primary school However, the design
design. Like dRMM, grid imposed can
this offers a limit the options for
configuration which internal organisation
seventeen
Feilden Clegg
Bradley provide a
very large atrium,
considerably in
excess of the
requirements of the
brief. The scheme
shown is above the
budget, but the
central space could
be reduced in size at
the next design
stage and still fulfil
its functions and
provide a heart to
the school
indoor courtyards
Many of the design teams have included area or volume that is extra to the
brief but within budget, by exploring the opportunities of merging the line
between outside and inside space; from the covered external ‘agora’, through
covered courtyard, street, light link and atrium, to the ‘dura’ – enclosing the
entire school in a weatherproof ‘bubble’
Extending the envelope in this way is a
concept worth pursuing. Central covered
courtyards of various kinds can provide a
useful heart to a school, a social area and
much sought-after covered play area.
However, particularly if this is above the Walters and Cohen’s
budget, it can be at the expense of other primary school has
facilities that may be wished for, but that need a high central
‘heart’ space
more enclosed accommodation. accommodating
many functions.
However, the
acoustic implications
of some of these
functions only being
separated by stores
or screens have yet
to be fully tested
Wilkinson Eyre’s
scheme centres
around an ‘agora’,
which can provide a
covered area for
visitors and parents,
as well as the link
between school
buildings, depending
on the level of
security chosen.
It provides
significantly more
covered area within
the budget than
could be built as
enclosed space, and
has no heating costs
eighteen
Left: Penoyre and

Prasad provide
double height
‘sky-gardens’ in their
multi-storey design
Right: Building
Design Partnership
use play decks at
upper levels to
provide informal and
social areas outside
all classbases. The
central space may
be covered to offer
further additional
space at ground
floor level
outdoor classrooms
Landscaping is often vulnerable when funding has to be reduced, but many
of the design teams have considered it as a key part of the overall design
and proposed ambitious options as the basis of future development
Sarah play gardens for Learning through the landscape is already a
Wigglesworth’s each ground floor growing trend, particularly in the primary
landscape architect classroom, as well
included intimate as other features sector. With the encouragement of the
Learning through Landscape Trust, many of
the primary and secondary design teams
considered how the grounds could enhance
learning and links with the community,
through allotments, gardens and social areas
as well as sports facilities.
Those design teams that were given confined

urban sites considered ‘sky gardens’, ‘play
decks’ and terraces at upper levels to make
up for the lack of external informal and social
areas on the ground. All such sites were
required to have a multi-use games area on
the site, so that some formal games could be
played without the transport and timetabling
problems of accessing off-site facilities.
Marks Barfield
emerging themes
envisage access to
the playing fields
being through
natural pathways in
the meadowland in
the centre of the
school
nineteen
Alsop’s classroom
design uses the
atrium and raised
floors to provide a
suitable airflow
Sarah Wigglesworth’s a double façade, or

design uses two underfloor
natural ventilation displacement supply
solutions depending and extract through
on site context: chimneys using the
comfort
opening windows in passive stack effect
Comfort is important for effective teaching and learning. Although the details
which allow pupils and staff simply to be comfortable may not be instantly
noticeable in the school of the future, they are perhaps the most important
attributes of any school design
Vision is enhanced by indirect lighting, the With the new generation of fluorescent lights, Solar shading and the use of thermal mass
absence of glare and clear sight lines. Hearing or luminaires, it is important to control the and night cooling have been the most popular
is enhanced by good room acoustics and brightness of the light sources. The design strategies to avoid summertime overheating.
sound insulation from noise sources. Efficient teams have done this by using luminaires with Night cooling often relies on windows being
heating, ventilation and humidity control, a good component of uplight, or by using open overnight, which can be a security
together with the choice of environmentally indirect lighting. issue. Some designers have incorporated the
friendly materials, produce fresh unpolluted air thermal mass as hollow core floors, which
and a comfortable internal environment. The introduction of fresh air without drafts in avoids the need to open windows at night.
winter and overheating in summer has been a
Clerestory windows, north lights and roof priority for the designers. The solutions range Mechanical or hybrid ventilation is a common
lights are used in many exemplar designs to from natural ventilation, through hybrid feature throughout the exemplar designs.
achieve substantially day-lit spaces which are ventilation using fan power to assist the As many of the environmental engineers have
free from glare. The positioning of white- natural ‘stack’ effect of hot air rising, through pointed out, fan assisted air flow, through
boards and electronic screens on walls to mechanical ventilation systems with heat ducting or underfloor plenums, can ensure
perpendicular to glazed external elevations recovery. sufficient air changes without excessive
effectively prevents disabling glare. And solar running costs.
shading devices fine-tune the lighting through
the day and the seasons.
daylight reflected down into classroom
daylight collection via rooflights
The Mace design Similarly, Walters

uses hybrid and Cohen (see ‘borrowed light’
ventilation with page 34) provide
mechanical supply forced ventilation to
and natural extract. the central heart
An underfloor space and its
labyrinth plenum movable pods
tempers the supply through ducts in the
air temperature, and floor, together with
a borehole provides natural extract
additional heating through high level
and cooling when windows. Their
required. single storey fan assisted air intake slab labyrinth
classrooms are
naturally ventilated borehole for heating/cooling
twenty
Wilkinson Eyre’s • vegetation reduces

teaching blocks use ground reflectance
chimneys to provide and provides
natural ventilation to shading.
suit different times of In winter:
the day and year. • chimney vents
In summer: open only in the
• all windows and day, to provide
vents open for adequate fresh air;
maximum cross- • fresh air through summer day summer night
flow ventilation perimeter vents is
and night cooling warmed by
(vents must be radiators to avoid
secure and draughts;
weather tight); • windows and
• tall spaces provide vents closed
warm air reservoir; overnight and
• exposed concrete building well
soffit cooled down sealed and
overnight provides insulated to
passive cooling by preserve heat;
absorbing heat • carbon dioxide
from people, lights indicator shows winter day winter night
and equipment; teacher if levels
• external shading are high
reduces solar gain;
sustainability
To ensure maximum sustainability, a wide range of factors, including site security,
community use and access and inclusion, should be considered alongside better-
known environmental factors such as energy efficiency and waste minimisation
Sustainable materials feature in a number of Boreholes, earth tubes and heat storage in To be sustainable, the economic assessment
the designs. Some use timber, though others both the building structure and the ground of the designs needs to be based on Whole
have used concrete, particularly in floors and have been used by a number of the design Life Costs and Environmental Costs. All the
roofs, to provide the thermal mass for night teams to reduce energy loads. Some designs teams have carried out whole life cycle costs,
cooling and avoidance of summertime offer the possibility of using combined heat as required by the brief. The life cycle of
overheating, using the building as a ‘heat and power, wood fuel boilers or solar energy buildings and components is a variable which
sink’. Concrete can be costly in terms of for heating of hot water. Most designs include needs further detailed discussion. A further
embodied energy, although this can be further options for using renewable energy to development which could be pursued in the
reduced somewhat through recycled local reduce the carbon emissions. By the inclusion later stages of the designs would be to
aggregates. A number of designs have of renewable energy sources such as wind, assess different options using environmental
sedum roofs. photovoltaics and wood-fired boilers burning cost tools, such as ‘ENVEST’.
locally coppiced wood, the zero carbon
school is achievable.
emerging themes
Cottrell + Vermeulen
The Marks Barfield uses sustainable clerestory glazing on considered the site
design, with its materials. The the north side, implications and
screwed piles and standard section above the roof line sought to find
timber structure and allows a flow of air of the adjacent block alternative forms of
panelling, touches from a window on thermal mass such
the earth lightly and the south side to as rammed earth
twenty-one
H00944 brief a/w 5/2/04 5:15 pm Page 22
H00944 brief a/w 5/2/04 5:15 pm Page 23
This section summarises the requirements of the exemplar design

the brief
brief for both the primary and secondary schools, and highlights
how the design teams have generally responded to these demands
The design briefs for the exemplar primary was confined and required a multi-storey area assumed most activities to take place
and secondary school designs are available in solution and perhaps external play-decks. in 63m2 classrooms, or 49m2 classbases
full on the web site, and summarised in this • A range of sizes: the primary school with all practical activities in shared
section. The brief for the all-through school, alternatives were for 1FE or 3FE, with 1/2FE teaching areas. In practice most designs
for 3 to 18 year olds, is a combination of the as an option in the rural site only (P3). The allow a mix of these. The secondary
two. The briefs both comprise five sections: secondary school was required to be built variations altered the schedule of teaching
in phases, starting at 600 with no sixth spaces to emphasise different parts of the
• Section 1: Common Aspirations – form, rising to 850 including a sixth form, curriculum, for instance to suit different
the Vision for the School; and eventually expanding to 1600 11 to 18 specialisms – again within the same overall
• Section 2: Specific Design Requirements; places. teaching area.
• Section 3: Core Brief and Variations; • Alternatives for management and • Supplementary facilities: although all the
• Section 4: Schedules of Accommodation; organisation: the primary school variations exemplar designs are inclusive and allow
• Section 5: Implementation (including off-site required infants and juniors to have their for community use outside the school day,
construction opportunities). own local resources, or alternatively the each design was required to allow for the
nursery and reception classes to be possible addition of a Children’s Centre
Sections 1, 2 and 5 identify the common organised as a separate foundation stage or extended school facilities or a special
issues that needed to be addressed by all the unit. The core secondary brief was based educational needs (SEN) support centre for
design teams. These issues are discussed on departments with staff workrooms, complex needs or community facilities:
below, with some discussion as to how the while variations required a lower and upper sports in the primary school and a public
designs have addressed them. school split with separate sixth form library in the secondary school.
accommodation, or a faculty-based
Section 3 identifies the ‘core’ brief and the structure across all years with no specialist There is, in theory, an infinite number of
variations that both the primary and sixth form spaces. possible variations, but the design teams were
secondary designs needed to achieve. • Curriculum delivery options: the primary particularly asked to consider ten only in the
Flexibility and adaptability were the key core brief was based on 57m2 classbases, primary brief and twelve only in the secondary
requirements of the briefs, and the variations an ICT suite and a creative space. school, to be representative of the
were identified to demonstrate the Variations within the same basic teaching possibilities.
adaptability of the designs.
The core exemplar primary school designs Illustrations in this

are based on a brief for a 420-place 5 to 11 section are of
school with a 26-place nursery – two ‘forms existing schools and
of entry’ (2FE). The core secondary designs precedent schemes,
are based on a 1150-place 11 to 18 school – both in this country
six forms of entry (6FE), with a sixth form of and abroad
around 250. Each core brief was based on a
typical curriculum and organisation. However,
the adaptability of each design was required
to allow it to be varied to suit the following:
Building Design
• Alternative sites: each design team was Partnership’s primary
asked to base their design on one of six school design for
real but anonymous primary or secondary Hampden Gurney
School includes
school sites, but also asked to show how ‘play decks’ to
the brief
the design could be adapted to suit one or provide external

two others. Each site differed in context, informal and social
area on a very
characteristics and constraints. Two in confined inner-city
each sector were urban, and of these, one site
twenty-three
H00944 brief a/w 5/2/04 5:15 pm Page 24
Each of the variations had to be tested only the Project Steering Group and representative Staff Satisfaction and the School
against a design where all other criteria remain school heads to set out common issues that Workforce
as defined for the core so, for instance, the all school designs should address. The quality of the working environment is
alternative sites were to be tested only against essential for the whole of the workforce –
the core size, organisation and curriculum, Educational Performance support staff as well as teachers and
with no supplementary spaces. As a prime concern, the design should headteachers. There are of course issues of
enhance opportunities to raise standards by self-esteem and motivation (and therefore
Some discussion about how the designs providing appropriate, adaptable links with recruitment and retention). But
accomplish these onerous requirements has accommodation offering a stimulating learning school design needs to reflect the
been set out in the previous pages. environment. implications of the workforce reform agenda
and the contractual elements of the National
Section 4 of the brief lists the schedule of An Inspirational Environment Agreement ‘Raising Standards and Tackling
accommodation for the core brief, as shown All designs should ideally signal an
Workload’, which will impact on all schools.
in pages 114 to 117 of this book, with a inspirational culture and ethos: from the
comparison of the ‘as designed’ areas of external façade, through the entrance foyer,
The core of this agenda is creating capacity
each scheme. Relevant legislation and to the internal arrangement of spaces.
for teachers to focus on teaching – helping
guidance was also given to the design teams The nature of the exemplar designs
schools to deliver more effectively the
during the process, as well as detailed means that they should be able to be
personalised teaching and learning that pupils
requirements for each room in the schedule of replicable whilst offering any school a
and parents are entitled to expect. The
accommodation, in the form of unique identity.
central element is more support staff
comprehensive ‘room data sheets’.
undertaking activities that free teachers to
As discussed earlier, the exemplar designs
concentrate on their core professional
offer a wide variety of inspiring environments.
responsibilities. Accommodation will
Section 1: Common Aspirations – While some have revisited the traditional
increasingly need to reflect the implications of
the Vision for the School shape of the classroom, many have offered
the opportunity for more flexible and open more adults in schools. But it must also
Every school will have individual aspirations teaching facilities. Some have proposed provide teaching spaces that can be adapted
for the identity, ethos and culture of its unconventional shapes and materials while to different models of curriculum delivery, and
environment. Section 1 of the design briefs others have used simpler forms to allow space that enables teachers to get the most
used the collective views of those involved in bonus area of atrium space to be provided. out of the time they will be guaranteed for
preparation, planning and assessment.
The demands of workforce reform are

implicitly addressed in the flexible solutions
that all the teams identify. They are more
explicitly brought out by a number of the
designs in terms of the needs of support staff,
the implications of more adults working in
schools and team teaching.
Pupil Satisfaction
Pupils’ satisfaction with their environment can
affect behaviour and self-esteem, and
ultimately willingness and ability to learn.
All pupils, including those with SEN and
disabilities, should feel that their needs are
respected – not only in teaching areas, but in
toilets, circulation and playgrounds.
The design teams collated input and

feedback from pupils and students at their
partner schools, and some got further advice,
for instance from School Works and the
Sorrell Foundation.
Community Involvement
Design quality is a Involving and benefiting the community is a
feature of recent
key role of the School for the Future. All
school projects,
such as Bexley exemplar designs should be able to offer
Business Academy. sports and other facilities to others out of
CABE ‘enablers’ are
involved in many school hours, and may be linked to local
others regeneration.
twenty-four
H00944 brief a/w 5/2/04 5:15 pm Page 25
Extended School provision, over and above A glazed street in

community access to school facilities outside Stadtische
Gesamtschule
the school day (and the parents’/community Barmen in Germany
room and social services/interview room in provides an
the primary school brief) was included in a attractive place for
socialising and
variation to the brief as further area that could recreation within the
be added to the building. The primary school circulation area
variations incorporated the early years
provision, along with community hall and
changing room enhancements appropriate for
a Sure Start scheme.
Design Quality
Quality of design can be difficult to measure,
but is clearly the prime aspiration for exemplar
designs. The Commission for Architecture
and the Built Environment (CABE) have
identified good design as a mix of the
following attributes:
• functionality in use, or fitness for purpose,

which in this case can be checked against
the criteria in this brief;
• build quality, including the need for whole
life cost principles to be used (as discussed Flexibility and Adaptability protection of buildings being a secondary
in Section 5 of the brief); As discussed above, short term flexibility and issue. However, proactive design strategies
• efficiency and sustainability, ensuring the longer term adaptability are the key design and use of appropriate security measures can
design allows buildings to be on time and requirements: from the ongoing adaptability of help to protect both users and property.
on cost, with environmental standards as being able to change the type or size of
described in Section 2 of the brief; teaching rooms in the future, to the All schools should consider what access
• designing in context, including the site and overarching adaptability of creating alternative control measures they need, but the exemplar
existing building, but also the need for the designs from the original ‘kit of parts’ to suit brief included the following requirements:
total design to be seen as a homogeneous different sites or sizes of school. Section 2 of
whole; the brief set the minimum criteria for flexibility • Site boundaries need to be clearly defined,
• aesthetic quality, and the need for a non- and adaptability. using suitable fencing where necessary, so
institutional, individual character. that the difference between public and
Examples in the previous pages show how private space is obvious. Access points
Section 1 of the brief concentrates on the last the design teams addressed this critical issue. should be restricted to the practical
of these issues, as the others are covered All the teams took on the need for an minimum, with any remote entrances being
elsewhere. overarching adaptability to change the design open only at the start and end of the
from the start to suit different sites or types of school day.
Opportunities for Innovation school. However, the issue of ongoing • The location of the main entrance to the
As discussed earlier, the brief emphasised the adaptability – for minor changes over the life school building should be obvious and
importance of the exemplar designs offering of the school – was not as universally visible to any visitor approaching from the
opportunities for schools to be innovative in understood. front gate, which will also help ensure that
the future. As an example of this, it visitors are visible to school staff.
highlighted the aspiration for social areas and The particular problem for primary schools is • Reception areas need to be welcoming,
appropriate dining facilities to be achievable whether to have small classbases and shared while also acting as ‘air locks’ so that no
within the overall area or budget, as so much facilities such as ICT suites and creative one can penetrate further into the school
of the school is empty at lunch breaks but spaces, or to have all activities except those until permitted.
does not currently offer these social options. in the hall or studio in larger classbases, • Beyond reception, facilities are best zoned,
Although some related innovative ideas were within the same overall basic teaching area. so that those intended for added community
proposed, the dining issue was not Most primary designs do not allow this choice use are easily reached without accessing
thoroughly addressed. to be easily changed once the school is built, other parts of the school. This enables
so the lesson appears to be to ensure this is heating and lighting services to be zoned, as
right before you build. The core brief of 57m2 well as simplifying security systems.
Section 2: Specific Design classbases and some shared facilities offers a
Requirements reasonable middle way. Most of the designs have achieved good
zoning of accommodation, but only five have
the brief
All exemplar designs were required to satisfy Safety and Security receptions planned on the ‘air lock’ principle.
basic design criteria, at least to the The safety and security of pupils, staff and A few designs rely on the use of smart cards
recommended standards described in other users of school buildings was a at entrances for reception areas to work.
Section 2 of the brief. paramount requirement of the brief, with the Others are less well planned in this respect.
twenty-five
H00944 brief a/w 5/2/04 5:15 pm Page 26
General security is a concern: more than half legislation and best practice guidance for school, with small group rooms accessed from
the designs include alcoves and concealed inclusion of pupils with SEN and disabilities in both the corridor and an adjacent classroom.
areas where people can hide; a similar mainstream schools. Some schemes, however, rely on open plan
number permit easy access to roofs, from areas, which potentially could have acoustic
where people could reach upper windows, Access for all was required in every part of problems affecting their viability in practice.
rooflights and inner courtyards. Zurich every scheme. This involves strategic planning
Municipal (ZM) surveyors reviewed the at the outset for fire, security and circulation, Specialist facilities for pupils with more
designs and were concerned about large including the use of lifts. Although sloping severe or complex needs were included as a
areas of glazing in a number of the designs, sites usually required extra ramps, one has variation to both the primary and secondary
and their vulnerability to vandalism. However, been used in one design to allow the first brief. Unlike other additional accommodation,
that must be balanced against daylighting floor to link to the ground level at one end of these needed to be fully integrated into the
requirements and the need for pupils to have the building, so one lift is sufficient. In other overall design. These specially resourced
views out of their classrooms. examples, a lift to a small amount of areas were only required to be shown at a
accommodation on an upper floor, or a lift in preliminary level of detail, and the brief for
In case of fire, the means of escape are a number of separate buildings, is not likely to these facilities was indicative only. Significant
generally satisfactory in all schemes. Because offer an economic solution. further work would be needed if this variation
these are not final designs, there is generally was required in practice.
insufficient information on compartmentation As well as setting out aspirations and broad
and construction to enable detailed comment principles in relation to the current DfES Sustainability and Environmental
on other aspects of fire safety. Three designs policies for inclusion, the brief included Performance
incorporated atria that would preclude limiting specific facilities allowing access and inclusion The environmental performance of all
compartments to under 800m2, and fire for all except those pupils with the most exemplar designs were required to fully
engineering would be needed. Others used complex or severe SEN or disabilities. For the comply with the Building Regulations and the
ETFE for roofs or rooflights. This material latter, a resourced provision could be added new Building Bulletins 87 and 93, which give
vapourises at 250ºC and is self-extinguishing. as a variation to the core brief. Generally, it is the performance requirements for lighting,
It should therefore be safe in a fire, but ZM encouraged that learning support facilities for heating and thermal insulation, ventilation, hot
queried what the replacement costs would be. pupils who have SEN are sited centrally, to and cold water supplies, energy conservation
allow easy access to other spaces and be and acoustics.
Using the limited information available at that considered a part of the whole school.
stage, ZM gave provisional insurance Some of the most innovative environmental
assessments for each design. All of this Small group rooms are a vital part of both engineering firms have been involved and
information was fed back to the teams, who briefs, providing opportunities for focused
issues like ventilation and acoustics, which
have addressed many of the issues in their learning, for individuals or small groups with
are so often overlooked in school design,
Design Team Reports. learning support assistants. They can also be
have been very well considered.
used flexibly as a place for peripatetic group
Access and Inclusion work, or as a quiet space for calming down,
Acoustics for good speech intelligibility are
As well as being accessible to all, exemplar retreat or a ‘chill-out’. The best schemes have
essential for teaching and learning. The main
designs were required to satisfy all current been able to provide facilities throughout the
acoustic requirements – façade insulation to
exclude external noise, sound insulation of
walls and floors to separate teaching
activities, and provision of acoustic absorption
within spaces to reduce reverberation time –
have posed significant problems for the
design teams. In some cases details critical to
the success of the designs still require further
development.
The two contradictory requirements of

providing enough thermal mass to prevent
summertime overheating and of providing
sufficient acoustic absorption to reduce
reverberation times have been tackled by
Many of the design
teams have many of the designers.
proposed open plan
options, following
the model used in The desire for flexibility and adaptability has
Walsall Academy lead to a thorough investigation of possibilities
(pictured) and Telford for moving walls between classrooms and
City Technology
College. However, between classrooms and corridors. Operable
this brings acoustic walls have been included in many designs,
problems of speech and are a vast improvement over the use of
intelligibility that have
to be carefully screens and furniture to divide up open plan
addressed areas.
twenty-six
H00944 brief a/w 5/2/04 5:15 pm Page 27
Fresh air has been provided in a variety of consider are possible for each design. Most address the acoustic and sustainability
ways, and most of the designs produced designs at this early stage of design seem to requirements, and to allow adequate area for
innovative and low-energy solutions, as be capable of achieving a very good or toilets and circulation.
discussed on page 21. excellent BREEAM rating, but this will require
more work on site context, environmental
All designs have chosen to supply 100% systems and construction details. Section 5: Implementation
fresh air without any recirculation, whilst
avoiding cold drafts in winter. Most designers Some designers have already taken the Section 5 of the brief highlighted that each
have specified eight litres per second per consideration of sustainable materials a long design should be able to be built
person of fresh air, which is good practice way, whilst others have left this to the later economically and efficiently, taking into
even though the current minimum stages of design. Some interesting strategies account the following issues:
requirement is only three litres. Most of the in the choice of materials and systems such
designs favour a displacement ventilation as use of timber construction, sedum roofs • cost planning, including the need for the
system with introduction of fresh air at low and wood-fired boilers point the way for likely costs of exemplar designs to be
level into the space and exhaust of stale air at designers who want to build highly calculated on a life-cycle cost basis;
high level, making use of the natural ‘stack’ or sustainable schools. • buildability and off–site construction
buoyancy effect. opportunities;
Further work by BRE and the design teams will • the need for the timing and phasing of
Various strategies to avoid summertime narrow the range for each design, and the construction to be in line with exams and
overheating without the use of mechanical resulting predicted range of BREEAM ratings for holiday periods, and allow different
cooling are of particular interest, and will be each design will be available on the web site. activities to be accommodated;
studied by design engineers seeking to • issues involved in using exemplar designs
provide simple low-energy sustainable design in other situations.
solutions for new school buildings. Section 4: Schedules of
Accommodation Cost is discussed on page 119, with a
Natural ventilation through windows alone breakdown of each design compared. Many
may seem the obvious solution to be Section 4 of the brief listed the schedules of of the schemes had to include abnormal
sustainable and economic in the long-term. accommodation for the core schemes and costs to respond appropriately to some of the
However, very careful window design is the variations, with some limited discussion of site constraints they were given. Three design
needed to avoid cold drafts near the windows the additional variations. The core scheme teams had to design for a constrained urban
in winter. In addition, the new requirements schedules are shown on pages 114 to 117, site, involving extra costs to build multi-storey
for acoustic separation, both between with a comparison of the ‘as designed’ areas (above three storeys), or to provide a
of each scheme. ventilation system that ensured clean air
teaching spaces and from external noise,
without air conditioning or without acoustic
impose sound insulation requirements on
As discussed on page 115, the allowance for problems. Two teams were asked to respond
opening vents in facades and on vents
non-net area in both briefs (and consequently to sloping sites, and their schemes include
between classrooms and atria. Natural
the budget) was increased during the design extra circulation space to allow ramps and
ventilation is still possible, but its acoustic
process to allow for the plant area and level changes between buildings, which
performance must be considered and simple
internal wall thicknesses that are needed to would not be needed on a level site.
opening windows are only suitable on quieter
sites.
Heating methods have been carefully

considered and underfloor heating has
generally been avoided, as it responds too
slowly to react to the fast changes of
utilisation in a school and therefore requires a
supplementary form of heating.
Environmental performance has been

assessed using a specially adapted version of
the Building Research Establishment
Environmental Assessment Method
(BREEAM). All exemplar school design
projects were expected to achieve a minimum
BREEAM rating of ‘very good’, which aims to
reflect industry best practice.
Herman
The Building Research Establishment (BRE) Hertzberger’s
the brief
have commented on the designs and Montessori College

provided each design team with a preliminary in Amsterdam is a
multi-storey solution
BREEAM assessment. This indicates the to a confined urban
possible range of BREEAM ratings that BRE site
twenty-seven
H00944 Dividers a/w 5/2/04 5:21 pm Page 23
primary schools
Exemplar Designs
concepts and ideas
H00944 Primary Walters a/w 5/2/04 5:26 pm Page 30
Cross-section (top)
and views of core
2FE design
Outdoor classrooms Library in the heart of the school

exemplar primary school design
suburban site
Classrooms open off a generous, flexible ‘heart’ space, where the school
can create its own identity. A linked block houses community facilities
and the foundation stage and administration areas
Introduction Design Philosophy

Walters & Cohen Architects (P1)
The driving force behind our design for an The heart

Cost Consultants
exemplar primary school is the desire to The central space, the heart of the school, is
Davis Langdon & Everest
create a wonderful learning environment – key to the philosophy and flexibility of the
inspirational, exciting and welcoming while at design. This generous, dynamic space can be
Structural Engineers
the same time safe and secure. tailored to the individual needs of any school
Adams Kara Taylor
and is a space where almost any school
In the absence of a real client or final site, this activity can take place. It is here that the
Environmental Engineers
school is designed from the inside out. During school can really create its own identity. It
Max Fordham LLP
the past months we have visited many provides a flexible area for the library and for
different primary schools and had constant small group rooms and specialist stores, but it
Educational Advisor
communication with our partner school. can also be used for performances and film
Jenny Adey
Through this process we have developed viewings, as an exhibition space, for creative
some fundamental design criteria. spaces and wet play areas and as a café and
Landscape Architects
social hub to the school.
Edward Hutchison
Given the suburban nature of the site our
building is essentially single storey, which is Individual areas within the heart of the school
Contractor Advisor
ideal for primary school children. The whole can be created in two ways. Carefully
Exterior
building has been designed to allow full positioned shelving units and desks can be
accessibility for disabled users, pupils, used to divide space to offer individual work
Sites
teachers and visitors. This is vital for a fully stations and storage. Where there is a need
Primary site B (core)
inclusive school. for complete acoustic and visual separation,
Sites D and E (variations)
independent naturally ventilated ‘pods’ can be
The school is designed around three main inserted into the heart. They can be any
elements – the community zone, an shape; be with or without ceilings; be
administration block (which also houses a lockable or open; and have full or limited
nursery and reception class), and the main access.
teaching wing and heart of the school.
primary
thirty-one
Ground floor plan of First floor plan

core 2FE design
45
16 amphitheatre 15 43
31
8 6 6 8 43
17
16 15
outdoor
10
classroom
20
13 (art) 14
10
12 6
8 8
6 12 10
13 14
20
(food)
11 9
6 6
8 23 8
6 heart of 6
11 school 9
outdoor class
parking 30 28
courtyard
47 44
46 34 31 39 8 6 6 8
19 5
25 (work) 5
(quiet) 1
27 42 33
22 45
24 36 nursery
21 35 court
26 40
42
26 37 38 29 4
pupil nursery
entrance
entrance entrance
public
square
disabled
parking
bus stop cycle racks
For key to plans

see inside front
cover
Classrooms ICT within the central space. On narrower sites

The classroom layout is very flexible. The potential role of ICT in schools is clearly the classrooms could also be stacked above
Arranged in rows on either side of the heart, one that can affect learning and teaching, each other adjacent to the double volume
any number of classrooms can be linked school management, assessment, curriculum heart.
together, like carriages on a train. Their development and planning. Emerging
volumes can expand and contract into the evidence of links between high standards
heart of the school. across the curriculum and good ICT provision Management and Organisation
within a school reminds us of the importance
All classrooms follow the same module to of ICT when designing exemplar schools. It The form of the school follows the hierarchy
allow total flexibility and inclusion. They are should be integral to the design of a school of the main spaces, which have been carefully
rectilinear in shape so that they are easy to and not part of the ‘after build’ infrastructure. designed in collaboration with the project
furnish and supervise. They have high ceilings environmental engineers to ensure good light
to be bright and airy and each pair of Rather than being a classroom-resident tool and ventilation to each space. The heart of
classrooms opens out onto an external for the delivery of the curriculum, ICT lends the school has a floor to ceiling height of 6m
classroom for outside teaching. itself to a more holistic approach to education to emphasise the importance of this space.
and should be fully integrated into the The height of the spaces then steps down
Optional sliding/folding doors between every teachers’ and pupils’ day. ICT does not offer through the classrooms to the toilet blocks on
other classroom provide the opportunity to all the answers to the challenge of learning in the outside, allowing clerestory windows to
link two classes so that teachers can brief the twenty-first century but it does offer huge flood each space with light and maintain
children in larger groups before returning to possibilities. It is our duty as designers to good cross-ventilation.
their individual classbases. There is also the allow for these and not stymie any future
option of having a sliding door between the developments. To meet these needs our Community
classroom and the heart of the school. school has a raised floor for flexible power This exemplar school is designed to be
and cabled ICT distribution with remote embraced by the local community and
Given that the majority of bullying in schools servers. Wireless ICT technology will become become a sustainable part of any
occurs in toilets, we have sought to minimise more prevalent in the future. neighbourhood. To ensure this, the school
this risk by providing each pair of classrooms facilitates community use of the building in
with a smaller shared toilet pod, accessed many different ways, both during and after
directly from the classroom, or via the Adaptability and Flexibility school hours.
playground during break time.
Flexibility is fundamental to the design The public forecourt in front of the building is
Corridors have been minimised in our school philosophy of our school. The school design designed to encourage people onto the site,
and completely omitted from the teaching is flexible enough to allow for short-term providing a pleasant and relaxed gathering
area. Where possible circulation has been changes on a daily basis, such as different space for parents and other members of the
incorporated into the heart of the school so classroom layouts to suit different teaching community. The forecourt includes a large
that moving around the school becomes part styles and subjects. The design also allows a bus stop and covered cycle rack.
of the learning experience. level of adaptability which encompasses any
long-term changes such as developments in An internet café within the entrance foyer of
It has been our aim to fully integrate pupils ICT or changes to the curriculum. the school offers a place where parents and
with SEN and disabilities into the mainstream carers can get a coffee, access the internet
of the school. A priority therefore is to allow The simple structural system of the building and meet other parents.
seamless SEN facilities within the main school encourages this flexibility. A steel frame
accommodation. These areas are placed at means that none of the classroom walls are Doors from the main entrance foyer allow the
the centre of the school, with quiet areas and load bearing. This allows partitions to be main hall to be easily used by the community
sensory spaces located in the heart of the moved to change the size of teaching areas during or after the school day without
school which can be accessed by all pupils. or adapt them for other uses, or ultimately to affecting the main teaching block. Toilets are
make the school more open plan. Our design provided within the changing rooms so that
A common concern is that teachers seldom works equally well as a series of closed the hall can be self-contained. The large hall
have anywhere quiet to prepare for lessons. classroom ‘boxes’ opening onto the heart, or and the small studio can be linked together
A dedicated workspace has been provided as an entirely open plan school. Rooflights by opening large doors to create a larger
on the ground floor of the administration fixed at specific positions within the structural space. The option of direct access from the
block. Directly above on the first floor is a grid ensure that each classroom has plenty of hall to the public piazza means it can be used
primary
staff room for relaxation and socialising, which natural light. for community events such as fêtes, jumble
includes a shower. A wonderful staff room is sales or external performances.
important for the recruitment and retention of The building can easily be adapted to a
any school’s most important resource. sloping site by stepping or ramping down
thirty-three
How the classroom Community use – Organisation

volume can expand showing various strategy of the
and contract degrees of access school
control
49m2 classrooms 57m2 classrooms 63m2 classrooms
15
14
4
5 12 19
6
4
20 18
9
10 17
2
3 16
11 13 13 7
8
8
Environmental performance
1. 300mm high ground coupled supply air 8. Main horizontal services trenching acting 14. Acoustic ceiling to reduce general
plenum beneath beam and block floor as major services arteries reverberation time of central space
2. Pressure equalised rainscreen cladding 9. Acoustic partitioning between spaces 15. Fixed rooflights
system with integrated trickle vent with 50dB SRI with 38dB doors 16. Optional enclosed pod within central
3. Glazed doors for access, views and air 10. Acoustic absorption on classroom walls zone
movement on hot days (notice boards) 17. Acoustic baffles and insulation on ceiling
4. Secure high level operable lights for good 11. Wall mounted convection heater in front 18. Rooflights provide daylight penetration
daylight distribution and night venting of trickle ventilator around edge of acoustic baffle
5. Operable rooflights for improved daylight 12. Rooflight for flexible partitioning of 19. Natural or mechanical extract vents,
distribution and night venting intermediate zone depending on occupation density
6. High ceilings with exposed concrete 13. Penetrations through beam and block 20. Rainwater is collected from all of the
soffits for improved daylight and cooling floor for ventilation grille and convection roofs and stored at the back of toilet
7. Raised access floor for flexible services heater pods
distribution throughout building
The extent to which the community is invited come to school by car. As a principle the car Cost
into the building is a decision for each school: park is discreetly positioned to the side of the
the further one moves inside the building the building, well hidden by planting. A The site for this scheme is relatively large at
more private it becomes. Visitors might be cantilevered roof over the front of the school over 2ha (21,000m2). For this reason the
invited in as far as the heart of the school for provides shelter for anyone arriving at the costs are presented including a base
lunch, film viewings or performances. Mobile school before it opens. landscape scheme, with optional further
pods and furniture in the heart can allow staff landscape areas shown separately to add
to welcome larger community groups for increased utility, value and delight. The base
certain occasions. Environmental Performance scheme includes the minimum area of
landscape (5,700m2) and hard play to operate
Security The following considerations have been the school (such as car parking), while the
The issue of security is essential to the design identified as being essential to a flexible and optional landscape areas include sports
of any school. However, too often in the past sustainable school of the future and are pitches, additional recreational areas (such as
efforts to address the issue of security have incorporated in our exemplar design: nature ponds) which enhance the overall
produced ‘fortress’ schools with little or no scheme making up the balance of site area.
interface with the local community. We have • Good daylighting is paramount. Artificial The scheme’s abnormals are approximately
sought to redress this issue without lighting contributes to 25% of the energy 7% of the Gross Capital Cost (excluding
compromising children’s safety. costs of a typical school. Anecdotal loose furniture and equipment).
evidence suggests that the provision of
There are four main points of entry to the good levels of natural light enhances a
CABE Design Review Committee
school. Pupils arrive through the two gates on learning environment.
either side of the building and enter their • The external envelope is designed to The CABE design review committee felt
classrooms via the playground. Nursery reduce fabric heat loss. Over half the this was an elegant solution. They
children enter through a door directly into the energy consumption of schools is spent on acknowledged it was dependent on the
nursery garden. During the day the two heating, a proportion of this is fabric heat quality of how detailing and use of
school gates are locked and visitors to the loss. materials were executed when built. It
school come to the main entrance where they • An efficient ventilation strategy has been was felt that it was very credible as a
are welcomed into an airy double height foyer. developed. The high occupancy density in generic solution that can be extended if
Visitors can only enter the core of the school classrooms means that maintaining the the site allows, although it does depend
under supervision of reception staff. If the minimum fresh air ventilation rate only when upon the site used being relatively wide
school desires all students to come through it is required is important for keeping to maintain logic of the cross-section in
the main entrance then this can also be ventilation losses low throughout the 24 the main learning block. The importance
accommodated. hour cycle. The design also maximises the of the open space to the front of the
use of passive solar energy and ground- school was acknowledged, but it was
By positioning the more public elements of coupled heat and ‘coolth’ to benefit from felt that to be successful, some type of
the school on the street we have ensured that free energy gains. boundary distinction will be necessary.
there are no direct views of the children from • High casual heat gains are common in Overall it was felt that the scheme was
outside. The public components of the classrooms as they have a high density well considered. The central space
building along the street form a natural occupancy. The design works to limit offers innovation and inspiration and
security buffer for the school’s private heart. overheating, for instance by avoiding solar has the potential to produce a good,
The remainder of the perimeter is fenced and gain in the summer whenever possible. effective learning environment.
Cost
heavily planted to form a secure green border • Water saving and collecting strategies have
Cost Comment
to the school. been included to minimise water use.
• The design uses efficient building services The design team’s cost estimate of this
Access and controls. scheme excluding abnormals is in line
The busiest times of day at any school are • A flexible and adaptable form has been with the DfES Net Building Cost guide.
when pupils arrive and leave, and adopted in order to optimise the life cycle Pressure will need to be maintained on
considerable thought has been given to this in and costs of key structural materials. The costs as the design is developed and
our design. building form is flexible enough to stand the details are finalised. This scheme has
test of time. had a significant locational factor
Schools are part of a neighbourhood • Wherever possible sustainable materials adjustment to normalise its costs, which
community and most of the pupils will be and renewable forms of energy have been could influence the affordability of
primary
local. Therefore walking and cycling to and used. certain materials or components.
from school will be encouraged. We
recognise that some teachers and visitors
thirty-five
H00944 Primary C&V a/w 5/2/04 5:30 pm Page 36
Landscape
creates
Light and ventilation Translucent roof creates weather
Classbases can and
be connected for ‘Quiet’ chimney ‘green lung’ usable outside space
acoustic
team teaching fresh air
barrier to
Landscape and larger group and view of ICT facilities Covered outside classroom
‘cushion’ spaces activities the sky integrated into classroom extension
between buildings design of classroom of teaching area
Verandah and Calm, smaller Wet play area

shading for teaching spaces Interactive connected to
summer sun whiteboard outside classroom
courtyard and breakout corridor and classbase outside classroom landscape and
playground room/shared quiet spaces gardens
resource
room
Sketch perspective
looking from head’s
office into creative
space
Sketch perspective
from bottom corner
of site
sloping site
Within a landscape for learning, this school can expand or contract
and allow an easy transition from enclosed to open spaces
Introduction To this end we created a participation manual.

Cottrell + Vermeulen Architecture (P2)
Our design can accommodate classrooms of
What is the school of the future? various sizes ranging from 49m2 to 63m2,
Cost Consultants
We feel that the school of the future should be along with dual school and community use.
Stockdale Consulting
an inspirational landscape for learning, Our particular site was a large suburban
teaching and play that can respond to the setting constrained by a steep slope, within
evolving needs of a specific community and an area undergoing regeneration.
Haskins Robinson Waters
context. The school of the future ought to be a
sustainable and inclusive project, developed by
a community using environmentally responsible Design Approach
Max Fordham LLP
materials and processes.
Our approach to this project is to combine an
Educational Advisor
With this vision in mind, our goal was to integrated vision of school and landscape and
Jenny Davies
create a flexible school design that allowed modern construction technologies with the
governors and teachers to decide on the potential of community participation and
Animation
layout and extent of their design, and also collaboration. It is our belief that for school
Neutral
introduce to the project a way of working in design to flourish the school and community
collaboration with the school and community. must participate actively in design and
Participation Manual Design
decision-making. We have therefore
Carl Middleton
conceived the project as a manual for school
design and created a process that can be
BREEAM Advisor
applied generally whilst also providing tailored
Buro Happold
solutions. This process is described in our
Participation Manual (left), which we have
Sites
introduced to the project. This document
Primary site D (core)
explains ways in which the client can
Sites A and B (variations)
participate and coordinates the way the client
can collaborate within the design process. It
covers the key first stages of the project;
defining the vision and setting the brief. From
primary
this starting point, we believe the client can

become empowered, responsible and easily
engage with the design of the school.
thirty-seven
3FE variation
Alternative site
variations for 1, 2
and 3FE
2FE (core) plan
1FE variation
KS2 KS1 or KS2 Reception
49m2 57m2 Acoustic partition 63m2 Movable wall allowing

different sizes of
classroom
Shared teaching/corridor Toilets
Shared teaching/quiet area Wet area

0 7m
‘Break out’ area
Our concept is to create a landscape for Adaptability and Flexibility Different classbases will be constructed from
learning. Drawing inspiration from African the same basic elements. It is intended that a
vernacular settlements that create We have established a wide range of different ‘kit of parts’ can be created which can be
communities within a safe boundary, making typologies or building layouts to demonstrate arranged differently to form different layouts.
a place within a landscape, our concept the flexibility of the model. Each typology is We have looked at different classroom sizes
allows the school to imagine the extent of its generated by the size of the school (or FE), and associated shared spaces that provide a
boundary and will provide a foundation for all along with the challenges and opportunities wide range of educational arrangements. The
development. Within a particular setting, we presented by a particular site. The typologies principle of the design is that under the
will grow a school that can expand and are made up of different component parts canopy each school can decide whether to
contract. We are proposing to enclose space that allow adjustment at a macro and micro have open plan, 49m2, 57m2 or 63m2
using canopies that create secure zones but scale. This flexible kit of components can classrooms. The classroom is still the heart of
allow easy transition from enclosed to open create a variety of educational spaces. Our the primary school and is situated within an
space. aim is to create a bespoke standardisation: educational zone that combines ideas of
this is not the creation of standard designs primary bases with primary departments. Our
but the use of standard elements to create ambition is to create spaces both inside and
bespoke designs for school communities. out, shared and individual, which allow all
types of the curriculum to flourish.
The community zone forms the entrance and
façade, and accommodates the areas of
community use, along with the public and Management and Organisation
administrative elements of the school. This
building could involve a larger element of Visibility is the key. The intention is for the
'one-off' design to account for specific school school to be accessible and welcoming whilst
and community functions and also use at the same time able to manage and monitor
materials and forms appropriate to the local the flow of children, parents and general
context, providing a planning buffer to the public into the school. The design must
street. As interface between school and facilitate a security diagram that can be
community, this building can facilitate the tailored to suit each school. Therefore, the
Above: plan of an African palace expansion of the school’s public role within design conceives security in terms of a series
the community. of layered security lines which can be opened
or closed at different times of the day. For
Our idea is to structure the design process The canopies define the education zones; example, the internet café at the front of the
into stages. The landscape strategy will define these include classbases, shared spaces, school may be in use by elderly people from
building zones and landscape buffer zones external classrooms etc. The canopies can be the local day centre. At some point, the
(gardens, playgrounds, planting etc). Areas of extended to house different numbers of children may interact with this group.
the landscape can be identified for different classes, and can be simply linked to the Alternatively, a security line may be drawn,
uses (community, education, recreation etc) community building and other canopies. They enabling them to access the main hall without
as well as entry points, movement and can be placed on the site in different coming into contact with those using the
connections. Within this framework the arrangements (for example, creating a large café. Another example is the way in which the
building components can be introduced. Our continuous canopy; wings and courtyards), to design provides the school with alternatives in
building blocks are simple; they are suit the particular site strategy. The overlap of how it wishes to receive parents dropping off
classrooms, halls, staff rooms, etc. During our the canopies creates a central shared zone and picking up children. They can either
research we have investigated how the blocks which links the entrance and community come through the main body of the school, or
can be organised into different typologies. We block to the classrooms and landscape and go directly to the classroom entrance in the
have thought of this as a type of dance, each houses shared resources and dedicated education wings.
move influencing another, and we have subject-teaching areas. The canopy form
created examples of how schools could be defines a framework within which the school The future school is conceived as an inclusive
organised. We hope that schools themselves can grow and adapt to new ways of learning. school, one that can accommodate all
will play this game and create their own The spaces under the canopy can be sections of the community. The intention is
examples. designed to meet the requirements of each that the school is totally accessible and easily
school, whilst the basic canopy structure adapted with the addition of specialist space
remains consistent. to become a specialist provision.
primary
thirty-nine
7
5
1 outdoor
3
expansion 2 7
space 5 classrooms
3
45 2 3
balcony
Wendy
48 house
31 corridor and shared
quiet area
expansion 30
9
space
33/32
34
10
9
outdoor
11 classrooms
void 12
teacher
prep
36 39 46 11
37
45 44
20
28/29
18 38 41 17
19
25
27 26
12 13
7
46 27 26 7
22 13
23
21 14
7 outdoor
24
10 7
14
corridor classrooms
and shared
quiet area
outside
15
7
each class
7
10
15
12
16
7
7
16
For key to plan see teacher

prep
inside front cover
Environmental Performance The scheme utilises a wet under-floor heating However there will be a requirement for mass in
system as the primary source of space critical areas to allow for both acoustic insulation
The school of the future should aspire to heating. Modelling of our typical classroom and thermal mass. This is achieved by using
principles of low energy design and unit has confirmed that the internal 'lightweight' panel products to create cavities
sustainable building practice. Where possible, temperature does not exceed 28°C for more and using on-site fill (preferably from excavated
the design uses natural lighting and ventilation than 80 occupied hours in a normal year. materials). This avoids the need to transport
and local or renewable materials in order to heavy materials to the site. The elements are
conserve energy. The design aims to arrive at designed to fit together – with an adjustable or
a balanced service arrangement that would Buildability bespoke element to negotiate the junction or
be financially realistic, with long-term cost site conditions.
savings through the use of passive rather We have produced a design that is both
than mechanical solutions where appropriate. efficient and flexible. There is no wasted
space, in the sense that even corridors can Cost
As a learning environment, the design of the become places for learning. As a result of
school aims to encourage engagement with the this, we have been able to create a generous This is a sloping site; the abnormals relate to
natural landscape. To this end, the layout of the design within the guidelines set by the DfES this and have been estimated as 10% of Gross
plan reaches out to bring the landscape into the brief. Our design meets the area requirements Capital Cost (excluding loose furniture and
building. Each classroom has direct access to exactly and is therefore cost-efficient. equipment). This covers the cost of ramps and
the outside in the form of covered and terracing.
protected outdoor classrooms. Green ‘lungs’, We have provided a set of flexible
which may take the form of hydrophonic walls, components that can be assembled in a
or mobile gardens, bring activities such as variety of ways. The design can be
planting seeds into the classroom. Each subdivided into two basic building types – the The CABE design review committee
classroom is to be naturally ventilated utilising a community building and the classroom considered this solution to be
temperature and pressure driven stack effect blocks. The community building has a uniform sophisticated and flexible, and that it
system. A series of underground vitrified clay cross-section and structural form that could would provide an intelligent and cost
pipes supply each classroom with fresh air and be prefabricated as portal frames. The design effective prototype. They felt that a lot
stale air is expelled via a central ventilation is conceived as a lightweight timber-framed of thought had gone into the actual
chimney. The building orientation optimises the building built upon rammed earth foundations. process of developing the design and
daylight conditions within the school. Daylight The timber frame and uniform shape allow for process manual. The committee were
enters the classroom via glazing on both the speed and economy of structure as well as impressed by the simplicity of the ‘shed’
southwest and northeastern façades and via a being a sustainable material choice. form and the ability to adapt the
natural daylighting chimney. Mechanical cladding to give it a distinctive site-
ventilation is only required in the toilets, main The classroom block sits in the landscape under specific appearance. Overall, the
hall and kitchen. an expansive lightweight canopy. The ‘over scheme was considered to offer
sizing’ of the canopy means that the basic roof inspiration out of relative
We were concerned that our flexible teaching structure can be prefabricated and used in straightforwardness.
space would not compromise acoustic different locations and designs, whilst the specific
Cost Comment
performance. While shared teaching space spaces of the classroom can be constructed
can be stimulating, quiet, acoustically underneath, irrespective of the size of the The design team’s cost estimate of this
controlled classbases and specialist space canopy. The construction of the classroom is scheme excluding abnormals is within
are essential. Our design addresses the key essentially timber and lightweight, affording the the DfES Building Cost guide. As the
acoustic performance criteria set out in BB93. same benefits as the community building. design develops, the need for the
relatively small first floor with its
attendant costs should be investigated,
Entrance view showing
cladding options along with the allowances for the
engineering elements. This scheme has
had a marginal locational adjustment
factor to normalise its costs, which may
influence the affordability of certain
materials or components.
primary
forty-one
H00944 Primary Marks a/w 5/2/04 5:38 pm Page 42
View from covered

teaching area,
looking north across
the central meadow
towards the
entrance hall
View of foundation
stage classrooms
and playground
A sustainable single-storey solution that uses off-site modular

rural site
construction that can be assembled in a variety of layouts to provide
a unique, distinctive response to many different sites, clients and briefs
Introduction Off-site fabrication

Marks Barfield Architects (P3)
A flexible and adaptable design solution is
The design team were asked to consider a proposed using a viable, cost effective off-site
Cost Consultants
design proposal for rural and suburban timber frame construction. Transportable
Gardiner and Theobald
settings. Our brief included: panellised modules can be configured into a
large variety of arrangements. This system
• rural schools, which are often small: half offers particular advantages, which include
Alan Conisbee and Associates
form entry, as well as 1FE and 2FE; waste reduction, factory-controlled quality
• consideration of greenfield and green belt construction, minimum disruption on and
site constraints and sensitive planning around the site, and significant reductions in
Max Fordham LLP
issues; procurement and construction times – less
• the integration of community facilities, than half the time of traditional site-based
particularly within a rural environment; construction.
Watkins:Dally
• a split site condition.
Sites
Adaptability and Flexibility
Primary site A (core)
Design Approach
Larger site A and site B (variations)
The modular design has been developed to
The proposal stems from a detailed brief optimise environmental conditions, with
analysis, out of which emerged six integrated timber construction and flexibility in classroom
key design components: arrangement and layouts. Functional design,
ensuring that all spaces and components
• off-site fabrication;
• adaptability and flexibility;
• social and community facilities;
• a welcoming, comfortable and safe
environment;
• distinctive design, integrated within the
landscape;
• sustainability.
primary
forty-three
Plan of 2FE core

pedestrian design
crossing to
sports field
For key to plan see
21 inside front cover
24
26
23 26
24
pedestrian
forecourt
school entrance
38 30
41 37 36
47
29 28
27 32
46 33 42 43
25 34
22
10
9 31
17
12 3 2
9 1 foundation
4 playground
12 8 7
11 5
39
8 7
10
11 5
40
private
courtyard and
meadow
13 20 15
12 12
13 15
10 10
14 16
10 18 12
10
14 16
19
playground
‘work hard’, is fundamental. The basic long-term changes, but can also be rotated Management and Organisation
teaching building block consists of a to offer a more immediate opportunity to
structurally efficient classroom and support allow for differences in teaching methods and Social and Community Facilities
spaces planned around a generous diagonal pupil numbers from class to class. Sound The entrance to the school and its
circulation spine. The classroom is typically transmission analysis carried out in relationship to the wider community are
located on one side of the circulation with accordance with DfES testing methods central to the overall composition and
support spaces, additional breakout areas, shows that the building design and materials sequencing of public and school spaces. A
cloakrooms, toilets and displays occupying used ensure that these semi-open plan generous public forecourt provides a pivotal
the remaining area on the other side and arrangements easily achieve the required point, around which additional community
providing access to an outdoor teaching area. acoustic standard for primary schools. facilities can be built and linked to the school
The foundation years have an alternative where appropriate. Fundamental to the split
arrangement, with toilets within their At the design stage, the teaching modules site condition and of value to all sites, the
classroom easily accessible from their can be arranged in a variety of linear or scheme includes a clear arrival and roadside
dedicated playground. centrally accessed clusters. These, together parking strategy utilising tree planting, road
with the hall and central resources, comprise widening and defined road and pedestrian
The design offers a wide range of classroom the whole school, and can be configured and areas to ensure child safety and provide an
sizes and layouts from completely cellular, tailored to each school size, brief, client, and additional community resource.
through semi-open plan, to fully open plan. site context.
Standardised acoustic lightweight partitions The scheme explores the viability of
can be removed or installed to respond to separating the large sports hall from the main
Top: alternative At left, the south- As shown at right, all Bottom: Each of one rotating removed or rotated
classroom clusters, facing common classrooms have classroom includes partition, and an to respond to
primary
arranged around the room opens onto an direct access to flexible integrated optional adjacent different teaching
generous common outdoor covered south-facing outdoor storage and display store and small methods
room and circulation teaching area. play areas units, a soft corner group room. The
area. defined by the arc partitions can be
forty-five
Site arrangement for

2FE core site,
showing typical
sequencing of
spaces for the split
site condition
sports field
community square
pedestrian forecourt
school entrance
private courtyard
and meadow
playground
multi-use
games area
Flexible modular Top: 2FE main core Bottom: this

components can be design arrangement
assembled in a incorporates east-
variety of layouts, as Middle: a separate west orientated
shown above sports hall is teaching clusters,
retained, the central based around
hall relocated and common rooms,
foundation and and an integrated
infant years main hall
separated from the
junior school Below: construction
sequence
school, as a joint community facility, and Environmental Performance

providing a second smaller hall that is both CABE Design Review Committee
the heart and shop window of the school. The design is environmentally, socially, and The CABE design review committee
This approach may be particularly appropriate economically sustainable. It has passive acknowledged that this scheme had a
for smaller schools. heating/cooling and ventilation systems and clear proposition that addresses
reduces the impact of emissions, effluent and significant issues outlined by the brief.
Comfort and Safety waste. It is built from low impact materials They recognised the enthusiasm for
The school building is designed for health and (the frame and cladding are made of timber reaping the potential benefits of off-site
comfort and is developed on the premise of from renewable sources) that are durable and fabrication. This is achieved through a
inclusive and accessible design. The small hall carefully selected to provide thermal mass, universal section, fast and economical
is at the heart of the school: a welcoming fire resistance, light reflectance and acoustic construction and standard materials.
space that the school can customise to attenuation. Resources are used efficiently, They had some concerns about detailing
provide a variety of facilities such as internet thus reducing whole life costs. It is energy- of parts of the elements of the design,
access, café, dining hall, exhibition space, or efficient, integrating good daylighting, natural but these can be addressed by further
media resources – with the library and staff ventilation, high insulation and efficient heating development. They felt that some of the
and administration close by. and lighting to minimise energy use and solar internal planning will require more
gain. At its core lies the health and wellbeing thinking through when this design is
The building and landscape define a simple of the children and staff. developed further. Although the layout is
progression of public to private space. potentially simple, the design rules by
Access, security and fire separation lines are which it is arrived at are not clear, and
defined by the design. Cost it might benefit from further
consideration of the circulation routes
This site has very limited abnormals, which within the building.
Integration within the Landscape equate to less than 1% of the gross capital
cost (excluding loose furniture and Cost Comment
The distinctive flowing form of the design equipment). The design team not only The design team’s cost estimate of this
brings the natural environment into the centre produced a cost for a traditional approach scheme excluding abnormals is within
of the school. This means that the building but also worked with a manufacturer/ the DfES Net Building cost guide using a
embraces its surroundings and every contractor who specialises in timber-frame traditional approach. There are a number
classroom has a sheltered outdoor teaching panellised off-site fabrication, and estimated of interesting multi-functional elements in
area that leads directly into the landscape. that a one-off project using this type of this scheme which will need careful
The noise-generating, multi-use games area construction would cost 18% more. However, detailing to avoid upward pressures on
is deliberately sited away from the building, so repetition and subsequent panellised costs. This scheme has had a significant
that the natural landscape can be enjoyed construction lend themselves to economies of locational factor adjustment to normalise
from the central hall and from every scale. With a commitment to procure a its costs, which could influence the
classroom. A sedum covered roof helps to number of schools, a dedicated production affordability of certain materials or
retain biodiversity and improves ecological unit would become economical to set up, components.
value. generating savings.
7.2m
typical classroom foundation year classroom
north facing clerestory

glazing
primary
integrated wall unit integrated wall unit optional high level glazing glazed link integrated wall unit suspended 'sasmox'
class store sink, store and display unit and door to fully enclose cloaks panelled ceiling with
classroom integrated fluorescent lighting
and acoustic insulation
Typical section detail
through the teaching
modules
forty-seven
H00944 Primary BDP a/w 5/2/04 5:42 pm Page 48
The school entrance
Typical upper level Aerial view from the

play deck south east
tight urban site

In a Beehive School the classrooms are shaped like pieces of
honeycomb, so they can interlock, wrap and enclose
Introduction vertical school. We couldn’t build outwards,

Building Design Partnership (P4)
so we’ve built upwards.
The Exemplar Schools project has presented
Cost Consultants
something of a dilemma for us as a design
Claruspcm
team. Our architecture is bespoke. It’s unique. Design Approach
It’s about the individual. Individual places,
individual people and communities. And their In a Beehive School the classrooms are
Building Design Partnership
needs, physical, intellectual, social, emotional shaped like pieces of honeycomb, so they
and spiritual. can interlock, wrap and enclose. They wrap
around their own individual play decks, which
Building Design Partnership
Reconciling this with the demands of the brief provide play space for the children, away from
for a high volume, repeatable, modular, pre- the dirt, noise and fumes of the street.
Educational Advisors
fabricated, non-site specific, ‘flat packed’
Bryanston Square
school was never going to be easy. The honeycomb classrooms combine into
‘learning houses’, which, with their individual
Pre-fabrication/Buildability Advisors
So what did we do? We went back to play decks, form the basic component of the
Mowlem
fundamentals, back to the two key school.
components of designing any building,
Sites
anywhere – people and place. The learning houses are adaptable. They can
Reduced primary site F (core)
be configured and reconfigured to suit any
Sites E and B (variations)
We determined to design a building which site. They can be added to, or subtracted
would create its own context; which would from. Learning pods and weather screens
create its own territories, and places; which can be added or taken away. Classbases can
would create its own identity; which would be organised and re-organised to suit any
capture its own light, space, air and sun; and teaching style or technology.
which would create a truly inspirational
learning environment for all building users, In our preferred core scheme, the ground
regardless of its location and setting. Then, floor is different. It roots the learning houses
and only then, would we ‘flat pack’ it. to the ground. It’s bespoke, unique. It’s
organised around a heart-space, a social hub,
primary
We have called our design ‘The Beehive like a giant conservatory where people can
School’. For good reason. Due to the gather and meet, chat and hang out. It’s right
demands of a tight inner city site ours is a in the centre of the school next to the library,
forty-nine
6
8 11
2
12
8
play
11 garden
6
2
32
informal
technology
social/
garden
learning
45
6
play
9 garden
8 10
2
second floor plan,
8 9 typical of upper floors
6
20
3
40
3 nursery
2
12 play
garden
1 nursery
pick-up
point
2
32
informal
social/
learning
45
reception
pick-up
5 point
reception
10 play
8 garden
First floor plan
8 5
bicycle
storage deliveries
34 46
38
41 25 27
43 26 24 24
welcome
space 42
37 heart 21
space
36
45
26 22 23
19 32 18
17
35
31
28 entrance
29
39
33 Ground floor plan
30
The Beehive School: for future expansion to

modularity and 3FE or to include an For key to plans
adaptability can be extended schools brief see inside front
seen in the options cover
studio and hall, where children can use it Adaptability and Flexibility The ground floor plan of any Beehive School
during the day, and the community can use it will be site- and brief-specific. It can therefore
at night. Our design specifically addresses the accommodate a wide range of different
requirement for modularity, adaptability and functions and uses. Generally, the ground
Our Beehive School is designed to delight flexibility. floor will contain the semi-public/central
and excite. In our school the children are functions suited to its location, with
connected to the outdoors, to the weather, to The learning houses have been designed as a classbases contained in the ‘standard’
the elements. It’s a fresh air school, series of modular components, which lend learning houses above. However, it is also
environmentally friendly, with light, space and themselves to prefabrication and mass possible to locate nursery and reception
air in abundance. With views too. Up, across, production. The modular approach facilitates classes at ground level.
and down. To the neighbourhood, and back. future extension from 2FE to 3FE by adding
There are spaces to discover, things to perch an additional learning house and service pod The intrinsic flexibility of the design allows
on, corners to inhabit, gardens to run around assembly. This modular approach has also spaces which might normally be considered
in, and places to play. Colours to see, been applied to the development of the to be ground floor uses to be distributed
textures to enjoy, a vertical world to ‘special space’ and group learning pods. throughout the building, in either adapted
experience. These ‘plug-on’ pods allow the design to classbases or the ‘special space’. This
cater for a huge variety of different design provides for a wide variety of combinations of
It’s not a school like any other, it’s a Beehive options. functions and locations.
School.
The Beehive School has also been developed Flexibility has been addressed in the
with adaptability and flexibility in mind. configuration of the classbases, which allows
them to be reconfigured and enlarged to suit
different teaching styles, as well as permitting
the enclosure of parts of the playdecks to
form weather-protected corridors, should this
be required.
Management and Organisation
Strategically the basic organisation of the plan

and section offers a number of benefits in
terms of security, fire prevention and
inclusion. Due to the stratified nature of the
core scheme’s section, all the building’s semi-
public functions are located on the ground
floor, where they offer easy access to the
community, but are physically separate from
the learning houses above.
This separation also aids ‘natural’ security

where (in the core scheme) areas for the
children are elevated to first floor level or
above. Furthermore, the way in which access
to the first floor is configured means that it
can be readily controlled at all times of day, to
prevent unwanted visitors gaining access to
the school. However, the school has been
designed to be fully inclusive and accessible
for all users of the building.
The Beehive School has been designed to

primary
meet or exceed all Statutory Requirements

Core site plan –
broken line shows
the school site
fifty-one
Heart space
First floor play

garden
applicable to a building of this type and size. The building’s heavyweight construction Abnormals inclusive of associated fees have
Balustrades and guarding to the playdecks provides thermal mass to capture and retain been estimated at 17% of Gross Capital Cost
will be designed to provide a safe and secure heat in the winter, and radiate ‘coolth’ in the (excluding loose furniture and equipment).
environment for the children, while not limiting summer, which, combined with a highly Several factors contribute to this, including
their access to light and air. However, given insulated external envelope, makes the the intrinsic cost of building vertically, the cost
the design’s radical multi-storey approach, it building very energy efficient. of building in future flexibility, and the cost of
is accepted that further development work will creating playdecks.
be required to verify some aspects of the The ventilation strategy has been designed to
design. capitalise on the basic stability of the school’s
environmental conditions. Opening windows CABE Design Review Committee
are provided to permit full natural ventilation The CABE design review committee felt
Environmental Performance when appropriate, along with ‘mixed-mode’ that this scheme was an interesting
ventilation plant with heat recovery, which development from the Hampden Gurney
The Beehive School has been designed to allows the building to operate in a full Primary School. They felt that the
mechanical mode when prevailing conditions reversal of the section to bring the play
deliver the highest standards of sustainability
preclude natural ventilation. decks to face into the site results in the
and environmental performance, combined
with the flexibility to enable the design to front façade not being as animated as
As well as these components of the building’s the example built at Hampden Gurney,
cater for a wide variety of site conditions
environmental strategy, sustainability has been and that there were other ways to deal
without any loss in performance.
given further consideration in the choice of with accessibility of the first floor deck to
building materials and in energy conservation parents and buggies than the ramp
The school has been designed to achieve its
and resource management measures. proposed in the scheme, which they felt
optimum environmental performance when
oriented in a north/south direction. This can was too long for compulsory use. As a
be achieved on the majority of sites by the result, the location and treatment of the
Cost
configuration of the learning houses, which hall was less successful than the main
can be combined in a number of different body of the school, and had a negative
The site is very restricted, necessitating a
ways (the core scheme being but one of impact on the entry sequence. This was
multi-storey solution with limited site works.
these). possibly exaggerated because the core
The use of the playdecks as horizontal
site appeared too large for this solution.
circulation, in lieu of more traditional enclosed
In its optimum configuration the classbases Overall they did believe that the proposal
corridor spaces, means that the building is
benefit from controlled daylight from the was inspirational. If detailed well the
very efficient in its use of internal space, the
north, with the playdecks benefiting from the playgrounds in the sky could be
core scheme being almost exactly ‘on area’.
southerly sunpath, with sunny edges and successful, and the constructional form
warm shade. The wrapping form of the However building vertically self-evidently could lend itself for prefabrication.
classbases also helps to shelter the brings with it a number of costs which would
Cost Comment
playdecks from prevailing westerly winds. not be present in a more traditional school.
The design team’s cost estimate of this
scheme excluding abnormals is within
the DfES Building Cost guide. However,
one of the assumptions is a well-
coordinated materials delivery and
installation process within very limited
site storage. The abnormals on this site
are unusual in that the design is based
around the play decks, which are a
response to the extremely restricted site.
This high level of abnormals should be
offset against the minimal amount of
land required. This scheme’s costs did
not require any locational factor
adjustment.
primary
Internal view of a
typical classroom
fifty-three
H00944 Primary Wigglesworth a/w 5/2/04 6:06 pm Page 54
larger urban site

The ‘Big Rug School’ is based on a richly woven textile
that integrates pupils, staff, community and landscape
Introduction Our Interpretation

Sarah Wigglesworth Architects (P5)
The approach we adopted starts from the
Our brief was to design a new exemplar following premises. We want to make our
Cost Consultants
primary school of 2FE. The site was chosen school:
Dobson White Boulcott
by the DfES because it presented • a non-institutional school;
characteristics often found in existing primary • a school that is sustainable for the
school sites. Its precise location was not community and for resources;
Techniker
disclosed to us and we were given site • an environment that is a thing of
surveys, photos and other tabular data on excitement, wonder and delight;
which to base our work. Classed as an inner • a place whose external and internal
Fulcrum Consulting
city location, the site lay on the edge of a environments are beautifully integrated;
conurbation and suffered from noise problems • a place where all people, not just children,
due to its proximity to an urban trunk road. want to come and learn.
Jennifer Coe Landscape Architecture
The brief asked us to develop a form that a

Timber Fabrications
future primary school could take if it were to Design Philosophy
Cowley Structural Timberwork Ltd
be located on this site. Key objectives behind
educational drivers were: We have called our school the ‘Big Rug
Curriculum Consultant
• inclusivity; School’. It is a richly woven textile that
Dr Geoff Mawson
• flexibility in teaching formats and integrates the pupils, their community and the
spatial/furniture arrangements; staff with the landscape, local conditions and
Sites
• involving the entire community in the life of collective aspirations. It finds novel solutions
Primary site F (core)
the school; to the brief, offering flexible spaces for
Sites E and B (variations)
• encouraging lifelong learning; individually-directed learning throughout the
• integrating ICT provision. school, for children and adults alike. In this
way it inscribes the notion of everyone as
lifelong learners into the very fabric of the
building.
primary
fifty-five
Ground floor plan First floor plan

For key to plans
see inside front
cover
13
7 8
13
10
11 creative
garden
14
12 8 7 8
24
27
14 25
20 void
11
43
7 49 12 50 19
43
24
9
18 15
timber
outdoor 17 24 21 deck 48 void
10 8 activity 7 8
space
22 15
4
33
44 50 45 10 49 45
26 26
29
42 23 32
39
5 38
40 31
35 16
37 36 41 28
6 7
30
8 sensory 34 46 7 8
garden
6 7
16
5
48
nursery 3
covered
playground
2 2
The school we have designed is welcoming Where classes for large numbers of children Freedom of access is always balanced
and accessible to all yet safe and secure for are needed, two adjacent classrooms can be against the overarching need to ensure the
those youngsters most at risk. The design united by sliding back the doors between safety of children. Managing potential conflicts
permits a wide range of ways for the head to them. between user groups is handled though close
manage the school. It encourages social attention to timetabling. This is reinforced by
interaction, seeing the education of children Flexibility is at the heart of our strategy for ICT the design of the building, which allows for
‘for life’ as of equal importance to their need provision at The Big Rug School, which helps the possibility of segregating sections of the
to acquire knowledge and skills. It to provide a technology-rich environment. In building so that they can be used exclusively
encourages adults to use its facilities in addition to a dedicated computer room, by one group of people at a particular time of
different ways at different times. Our school places for using ICT are dispersed throughout day or evening.
design answers – indeed, exceeds – many of the school. Networks of cabling are provided
the requirements of the brief, anticipating to suit any teaching scenario, including group As a rule the public can access anywhere
future educational trends as well as building electronic conversations using interactive within the community and Learning Forum
regulations provisions. In this sense it is white boards and video conferencing to zones on both floors. The classroom zone of
already the future. distant locations. By adopting this strategy the building is reserved for pupils and their
the school addresses the needs of all age teachers. We imagine that parents may enter
groups, and anticipates curriculum this area at specific times by invitation.
Adaptability and Flexibility development and changes in technology.
The Big Rug School has been designed to Environmental Performance

accommodate increasing or falling rolls Management and Organisation
without compromising the working of the The environmental strategy at the Big Rug
school. At a micro scale, the classrooms can The Big Rug School is a place where kids feel School was developed as a direct response
expand to allow for different teaching safe and well-cared for, adults feel respected to the characteristics of the site and its
arrangements and class sizes. Circulation and secure, and the community has the landscape, which is located in an urban area
spaces are as generous as possible; they can freedom to build its collective identity through on the coast. The proposal makes use of site
contain equipment, storage and additional controlled participation in the life of the characteristics to maintain comfort while
teaching space, and may be colonised school. using as little energy as possible. This means
according to requirements. using natural light, passive solar heating and
wind-driven extract ventilation, which can be
operated using simple, easy-to-use controls.
Our strategy has been to use the natural
capacity of the building fabric to modify
prevailing conditions in order to provide a
comfortable and appropriate environment
relying on a minimal use of energy.
The close integration of gardens with the

building creates small micro-climates which
modulate site conditions, providing shade and
cooling and attenuating noise from the trunk
road nearby.
primary
Whole building:
concept diagram
fifty-seven
Top Middle Bottom

Perspective of Montage through the Perspective of early
entrance and classrooms at upper design of ‘Learning
nursery and lower levels Forum’ and hall
Landscape and Nature • creates a sequence and hierarchy of Cost

different spaces, inviting passage between
The landscape directly around the school is a them; This site has limited abnormals, which equate
large open space available to the whole • makes a large site comprehensible; to 4% of the Gross Capital Cost (excluding
community. Together with children’s own • provides different scales to relate to loose furniture and equipment) and relate to
gardens, this space provides a secure place children’s perceptions and for their feelings noise.
where connections to the natural world and of ease and connectedness.
the environment can be made in a learning
environment. As an exciting and stimulating
place, the landscape around the school can CABE Design Review Committee Cost Comment
become a rich environment for child
The CABE design review committee felt The design team’s cost estimate of this
exploration.
the initial metaphor of the ‘weave’ is scheme excluding abnormals is in line
strong, intriguing and worth pursuing. with the DfES Net Building Cost guide.
At the Big Rug School the landscape design:
It was suggested, however, that this Pressure will need to be maintained on
• conveys the sense of place;
should have been pursued further, costs as the design is developed,
• creates clearly characterised spaces
strengthening the links between the especially in relation to the areas outside
(gardens) and sets the building within its
accommodation in the ‘warp’ strips and the two main building blocks.
context;
activities in the ‘weft’ elements. There are This scheme has had a significant
• demonstrates sustainability and biodiversity
generosity of space conflicts at several locational factor adjustment to normalise
and is an educational tool for all ages;
points in the plan. The scaling of the its costs, which could influence the
• provides a sense of arcadia, greenness, a
canopy, for example, could be embodied affordability of certain materials or
contrast to town centres and public parks;
in the treatment of the entrance space. In components.
• becomes part of a palette of rich,
addition to this, it was felt that the nature
communal open spaces within a town or
strip could be a generous and celebratory
village, just like churchyards, village greens
space which would need to be exploited
and allotments;
by maximising access to it from the rest of
• creates a pattern of landscape on the site
the school.
and makes connections that draw all
places together;
primary
Axonometric of the
school in landscape
fifty-nine
secondary schools
Exemplar Designs
concepts and ideas
H00944 Secondary Mace a/w 5/2/04 6:19 pm Page 62
Classroom cluster Learning resource Learning resource

area area, looking
towards courtyard
Aerial view
Staff social and Staff social and Dining hall

‘touchdown’ teamwork area
exemplar secondary school design
suburban site
Defensible space and flexible classroom clusters that look
to the outside landscape to create a positive
and open learning environment
Introduction Design Philosophy

MACE (RTKL Architects) (S1)
We believe that twenty-first century schools The design philosophy for this exemplar is
Cost Consultants
must be designed to raise standards of pupil driven from the chalk face. It finds its roots in
attainment and positively influence behaviour. the current and future curriculum
They should also provide environments that requirements that will dictate whether this
Structural Engineer
inspire teaching and learning and contribute exemplar works in the real world. It looks
Battle McCarthy
to raising the morale of school staff. towards the flexibility and adaptability that are
integral to the 14 to 19 agenda and integrates
Environmental Engineer
In producing a design for a 900 pupil (6FE) inclusion as a critical design factor.
Battle McCarthy
plus sixth form secondary school core brief,
the design team have endeavoured to The aspirations for any school are to deliver
Education Consultants
address all of the above. improved educational performance in the
Place Group
context of a nurturing and caring environment
that integrates with the community it serves.
Project Management
Mace
Sites
Secondary site B (core)
Sites D and E (variations)
secondary
View of first floor corridor
sixty-three
First floor plan
For key to plans

see inside front
cover
125
52 67 52
56
64 59 64 64 66 64 64 53 64
101
54
123 119 119 68 124
66
65 65 65 65 65 65 65 65
65 65
125
51 51
55 51
82
Ground floor plan 56 51
55 51 98 51
55 51 53 88
98 119 68 85 86 52
55
55 119 53 84
52 52
58 98
52 54 87 83
52 58
63 58 119
62 58 53
56 54
54
58
resource 54 59 94
61 area courtyard
58 52 106 104 96 118
119 59
61 58 105 95
60 54 97
resource 100 96 111
area 113 53
60 54 99 103 102
61 119
52 59 52 52 art 54 109
52 52 resource
area 81
114
74 71 110 112
vending 76
68 68
115 70 69 71 77 80 78 79 107 68 6868
75 73 72 108
118 116
117
124
127
93
90
91 53
90
59
92
90
89
92
The vision of this exemplar is to achieve this Adaptability and Flexibility interact, both internally and externally. The
through the creation of defensible space and lack of social space in schools is often a key
flexible classroom clusters that look to the The flexibility offered through the design driver in deteriorating the behaviour of pupils,
outside landscape to create a positive and extends beyond teaching and learning styles especially at scheduled break times and lunch
open learning environment. in the classroom to address flexible teacher times. This often has negative implications for
administration, meeting and planning space facilities management. The use of external
Our motivation came from the users, the requirements. spaces and stairs as seating areas addresses
teachers and the pupils who have to work in these issues in a sympathetic yet practical
the environment that we design. Our This is integrated with a need to address manner.
extensive educational engagement and inclusion and create differentiated learning
scenario testing gave a voice to these users opportunities for pupils.
in the design process; it established critical Management and Organisation
educational design factors and designed the Our design has tackled these issues through
exemplar from the inside out. Form and the creation of flexible ‘break out’ spaces and Access and Inclusion are now key aspects of
function have driven the creation of a flexible multi-use office/meeting rooms adjacent to all schools and classroom teaching. With
and inspirational learning environment for all classroom clusters. It must be able to deliver mixed ability teaching now common and the
users, including the extended community. a vocational and academic curriculum whilst need to provide differentiated learning
having common areas for larger class size opportunities, classroom design must reflect
We have designed our exemplar in line with delivery. the diverse requirements of teachers for both
expected curriculum and policy reform, formal delivery and breakaway group work
including the 14 to 19 agenda and workload There is also a need for adaptability to meet spaces in the same area. Such integration
assessment and the need to address new pupil needs. Our design provides this. It must also provide for students with SEN or
ways of working for all staff. creates social spaces for pupils to meet and disabilities, who have their own specific
Possible variations of and six classrooms,

the cluster: from left and four light
to right, four, five practical spaces
secondary
A five classroom A six classroom

cluster cluster
sixty-five
View from south east
Site plan
South west entrance Main entrance

needs. This understanding has been a key Environmental Performance variations in climate and context we
factor for the whole scheme, which has been determined the primary elements will be the
designed to enable full participation in school The intention of this study was to create a slab and roof, with the façade considered as
life and promote a sense of belonging. The building system that can be flexibly applied to a secondary component that can be adapted
exemplar has also endeavoured to create a school developments across the country. In to specific site conditions and orientations.
sense of community internally within the this respect it needs to perform without This leaves us with the predictable common
school, allowing for certain areas to become compromise for any urban residential location elements of the floorslab and roof to perform
pastoral bases, curriculum bases or and for any orientation and geographic the role of interacting between the external
vocational bases as appropriate. location within the UK. Because of the and internal environments.
Security is an increasingly problematic issue

for schools, especially given increasing
community use. There is a need for pupil and
teacher security whilst in school.
Exterior windows Rooflight above
The cross-over with ICT based administration

systems will offer opportunities for ‘smart
technology’ to be embedded into future
schools. Our exemplar assumes that access
will be controlled and monitored through the Teaching
use of contactless smartcards and, in time, wall
facial recognition solutions. These in turn will Projector

register users within the school, even above
directing them to chosen lessons.
This electronic solution is imprinted on our

internal defensible space and allows students
to have an outside space that is fully secure. Corridor windows Diagram showing
how balanced
daylight is achieved
Section showing air

flow and daylight
during operational
periods Daylight reflected down into classroom
Daylight collection via rooflights
‘Borrowed light’
secondary
Fan assisted air intake Slab labyrinth
Borehole for heating/cooling
sixty-seven
External terraces Cluster street
View of corridor from Courtyard

entrance
North/south section
through two-storey
block
North/south section
through outdoor
dining block
Construction and Delivery One of the key principles of the scheme is to component parts of the design allow the
create a series of served and servant spaces. concept to adapt to site constraints as well
Through our design-led process, we have This means that the servant spaces, such as as to educational and curriculum change.
determined that the optimal form for an toilets and kitchens, can be manufactured
educative environment is a cluster of and assembled off site. The components that The design also lends itself to having
classrooms in a single storey block along with will form the larger volumes will come as fully substantial elements built off site and could
associated ancillary spaces. This creates a finished panels that have been designed to fit help towards achieving the demanding
single node that can be repeated with ease together easily. The over-riding consideration targets set for the industry in the Egan
and adapted for specific teaching roles. The of this approach is that the system has to be Report.
classroom pod will take the form of a flexible enough to produce a range of
lightweight, demountable steel-framed solutions appropriate for each and every
structure and roof on a mass concrete slab. school’s requirements. Cost
This allows the flexibility to form the required
variations of classroom types whilst allowing We believe that the design outlined above We believe that this site does not have any
for adaptability in terms of structure, materials meets the requirements set out in the brief for abnormals.
choice and modularisation and prefabrication a school for the future and today. The
of building components.
The construction industry tends to underplay

the many very positive talents that it brings to CABE Design Review Committee Cost Comment
problem solving and delivery, but there is still
The CABE design review committee The design team’s cost estimate for this
room for significant improvement. Mace
welcomed the approach of ‘scenario scheme, which has no abnormals,
believe that we must have a clear idea of
testing’ to assess how pupils and staff exceeds the DfES Net Building Cost guide
what the future looks like, so that we improve
would use and respond to this school. They by approximately 2% as a result of its
incrementally in a planned way rather than
welcomed the clustering of classrooms for over-provision of floor area. Some of this
lurch from one initiative to another. The
future flexibility, and thought that circulation is inherent in the cluster design, which
Building Schools for the Future programme is
internally and externally worked well. A involves a high proportion of circulation
a great opportunity to drive the industry in
successful civic nature had been created area. All of this will need to be designed
terms of a new supply base.
for the main pupil entrance, which would be out, as there appears to be limited
a lively gathering space during the day. opportunity for reducing the cost per m2.
We have taken the processes and logic from
They had some reservations about acoustic The allowance for site works is lower than
production engineering and we are now using
separation between classrooms in the normally expected, due to proposed
them to improve techniques on our
cluster, and about the quality of the space limited land take. This scheme has had a
construction projects. These range from
for external views out from the internal pair marginal locational adjustment factor to
simple organisational improvements through
of cluster rooms, and thought these could normalise its costs, which may influence
sophisticated logistic and delivery systems,
do with further development. The number the affordability of certain materials or
and eventually we will bring the factory to site.
of classrooms in a cluster, and the way the components (see also page 118).
The exemplar schools will benefit from these
space between clusters works, will need
delivery efficiencies. The schools do not need
further resolution. They would like to see
to be linear or appear overly repetitive to
the scheme more fully embrace the
adopt production systems. The key is to
potential strength of the courtyard as the
understand the logic and design systems that
heart of the school.
fit together well.
secondary
East/west section
sixty-nine
H00944 Secondary W&E a/w 5/2/04 6:33 pm Page 70
sloping site
Learning clusters and central facilities are linked by a covered
street to suit regional variations of climate and topography
Introduction
Wilkinson Eyre Architects (S2)
The Design Team were asked to develop an the hill. As the slope gets steeper towards the
Cost Consultants
exemplar secondary school design for the east, the school curves round to traverse the
Davis Langdon and Everest
example site (site D) in a suburban edge-of- slope. This maximises views over playing fields
town setting. It occupies a footprint of 8.52ha to the south and presents a more protective
and is sloped from east to west, the maximum shell to the north-facing public side of the site.
ARUP
fall totalling almost 30 metres. Main access The main entrance is off the car park halfway
into the site is from the road to the north. The along the central spine of the school. A
site is on a main bus route (the nearest bus separate student entrance, for use at the
ARUP
stop is on the western edge of the site). beginning and end of the day only, is located
at the west end close to the bus stop.
Educational advisors
Our scheme has a linear layout that is
Dept. Ltd
perpendicular to the slope for its westernmost As a consequence of the sloping site, ramps,
portion, with the sports building at the foot of steps and level changes create a rich variety of
Sites
Secondary site D (core)
Sites A and B (variations)
Opposite top: Aerial view of core site
Opposite middle: View from playing fields

secondary
Opposite bottom: View of the main

entrance
Right: View of typical ‘cluster’ interior
seventy-one
Exploded aerial view
Learning clusters
Central facilities
Agora
dynamic internal spaces. As this also has the Four emerging themes have informed our Adaptability and Flexibility
effect of spreading out the school buildings, design:
we have illustrated how the scheme could be A key part of our design work has been to
more tightly planned on flat sites (sites A & B). • ICT and new technologies – wireless establish the optimum size of a ‘learning
laptops, interactive whiteboards and cluster’. In our model, central library facilities,
smartcards offer great freedoms for the ICT and learning resources are distributed
Design Approach way the building is managed and the way throughout the clusters, as are staff work
ICT is used as a learning tool; bases, toilets and lifts. We have established
The objective of the exemplar design exercise • educational change – the rate of that four learning clusters will support the
is to offer an architecture that supports educational change is increasing with the core brief of 1150 students and also provide
innovative solutions in the delivery of teaching, introduction of alternative management flexibility for different arrangements –
as well as providing a stimulating physical structures, such as ‘schools within departmental, ‘learning village’ house groups,
educational environment that is forward- schools’, or half-day working models that year groups or five-day working models can
looking and design-led, adopting best practice group or overlap complementary subjects. be accommodated with ease, allowing a
from other building types nationally and These models could significantly reduce school to choose its own method of working.
internationally. Conscious of the ever-present movement patterns between classrooms Each cluster could provide a base for
need for adaptability, our team has looked at a (typically at 45 minute intervals); between 220 to 300 students as a ‘school
‘kit-of-parts’ approach that separates general • extended use of schools – the occupancy within a school’, supported by a staff base.
teaching spaces from those that have specific of schools is largely under capacity over This flexibility extends to further
servicing or technical requirements. The ‘parts’ the span of a year (evenings, summertime, accommodate variations of school size, as
can be modified to suit particular regional etc). Facilities that can also be used for the additional clusters can be added to increase
variations of climate and topography extended community would significantly pupil numbers. The clustered arrangement
(materials, orientation and degree of enclosure) improve the latent potential of schools as also helps to break down an otherwise large
as well as a particular LEA’s or head teacher’s community centres; building scale, often intimidating and
style (by varying the organisation of the parts • sense of place/pastoral care – young alienating to the 11 year old newcomer
and the proximity of the various functions). people need a sense of security, a sense of arriving from primary school.
community, visual stimulus and direct
We have identified two types of building; contact with nature. The exemplary The plan form of the cluster has been
learning clusters or 'villages' and central learning environment should be safe, developed so that a run of three 60m2
facilities (containing assembly, sport, dining attractive, stimulating and exciting as well classrooms in a row can be adapted to offer
and general office-type space as well as the as efficiently organised. A strong different sizes (for instance 90m2 or 120m2)
acoustically specific dance, drama and music connection with the outdoors is desirable, and therefore long-term adaptability. Water,
spaces). These are linked by a covered as are external teaching spaces. Strong drainage and gas services are grouped at
environmentally protected street or ‘agora’. patterns of pastoral care should be readily either end of the run to allow a variety of
The kit-of-parts approach lends itself easily to available for the younger child in particular. functions in the rooms in between. Two linear
providing solutions for different sites and runs of classrooms are split either side of a
could be expanded incrementally as a school central double-height ICT/learning resources
grows, or could be added in phases to an area, which is accessed via a lobby directly
existing school. from the agora. The staff work base is
stainless steel ventilators
sun shading
ETFE roof
covered terrace
central resource area classroom

secondary
Section through a
learning cluster
seventy-three
For key to plans

see inside front
cover
covered terrace
51
51
51
51
51 125 125
56
51
covered terrace
85
86
84 82 roof
65
94
65 125
65
125 55
125 65 58
66 58 125 56
58 113 58 55
65 108 58 55
63 55
73 62 55
107
55
92
125 125
75 69
covered terrace
125 74
125
covered terrace
First floor plan
switch room
substation
fitness area
97 external allotments
teaching
58
58 science ponds
58
58
58 97 58
composting
59
84 84 public library
84 58 53 vending (extended
84 brief) dining
main IT 123
entrance spill-out 115
65 124 116
83 bin
65 126 store
95 94 agora 123
87 123
65 65 sandwich
123 53
shop 105 102 64 64 bar/water boiler
external 97 15 104
teaching 66 122 97/61 house
54 111 103 98
121 60
123 117 external
65 109 64 teaching
53 96 60
123 53 77 110
64
54 126 study 60
126 court
71 76 external
viewing 97/64
92 78 teaching learning clusters
student 72
entrance 90 (extended brief)
91 71
90
89 80
playing fields
Ground floor plan and surrounding site

positioned to overlook both the entry to the panels above a solid durable plinth of be available. The servery is arranged so that it
cluster and the central resource area, therefore engineering brick or reinforced concrete. can be shut off and the dining hall used for
providing passive supervision of these areas. other activities – the kitchen could also
Toilets and the lift are also positioned in this The assembly building has a double height expand into the servery area should the
location. Rooms that have specific servicing drama studio adjacent to the main hall. building be enlarged in future.
requirements such as science laboratories and Separated by a removable screen, the drama
design and technology and art rooms are on space can function as a stage for theatre
the ground floor, with generic classrooms on performances. Music recital and practice Management and Organisation
the first floor. In the curved ‘nose’ of the rooms on two floors at the opposite end of
learning cluster is a library area, which can the building could also function as ‘green Our design promotes extended community
also be used for quiet study or as a timetabled rooms’, as changing areas and as control use as well as extended timetabling of both
space. Upstairs in the same position is an rooms for audio/visual equipment in the school day and school year. The agora has a
outdoor covered teaching/recreational space main hall. number of opportunities for use by the
with views over the landscape. community for events such as fairs, and the
The sport building has stores along the long assembly building could also be used by the
side of the sports hall for ease of access, and community in the evening, with independent
Central Resources provides an area for public viewing behind a access from the car park and main entrance.
waist-height screen. The sports building could also be accessed
The central facilities are in five distinct independently from the rest of the school by a
buildings that vary in size but have all been The reception building has a counter facing sports club during evenings, weekends or
planned on a common structural grid of 5.4m into the agora. The inclusion support suite is school holiday periods. A learning cluster can
for economy: sport, assembly, dining, next to the main reception desk but with remain open for evening classes, without
reception and an optional public library separate access. Upstairs is an open plan compromising the security of the rest of the
(extended brief). A common planning grid of staff resource and social area – a central school.
1.8m means that roof and wall panel systems resource to complement the dispersed staff
will be common to all. The material of the work bases – with bookable rooms for The demand for ‘inclusive’ schools is growing
solid cladding panel could be modified to suit meetings or quiet study. significantly. In support of this, our design
a particular region using locally-available underlines the importance of good access
vernacular materials – stained timber, tiles, The eating area is divided between the dining throughout the buildings; building heights are
stone, render - all as rain-screen cladding hall and the agora, where different food would restricted to two floors, circulation spaces are
library area covered outdoor

terrace
typical general
purpose
classsroom
typical
specialist
teaching
area
prep
quiet void
learning study
resources
wc void
staff
base entrance
wc
secondary
Plans of a typical ‘learning

cluster’: ground floor first floor
seventy-five
View of agora
Partial plan of
central agora
learning
cluster public library
(extended brief)
social
main
entrance
social amphitheatre
study
shelf
shop route to
chess reception playing fields
SEN
tables centre
learning
external cluster
covered
teaching
Alternative layout for site A Alternative layout for site B, with a smaller
agora which may be enclosed
generous, lifts are frequent (in each building) Alternative layouts have been developed for
and conveniently located, and all teaching different sites. Site A shows the various CABE Design Review Committee
spaces are fully accessible. SEN support buildings grouped around a central agora, in CABE felt this was a strong proposal with
facilities can be located in each cluster as well this case with a large central open courtyard a clear identity and ideals for an exemplar
as a central facility. Toilet facilities for the or quadrangle. Three of the learning clusters of secondary school design. They thought
disabled are provided in each cluster, are linked at first floor with a bridge. The that the scheme displayed a positive
alongside the standard toilets. layout for Site B illustrates a minimum agora, approach to relationship of landscape to
which could be a heated space. There is a the built form, with stimulating spaces
Security main entrance at one end and a student being created, reinforced by the idea of a
Our ideal is for the site to be secure at its entrance at the other, and all learning clusters covered and partially enclosed agora.
perimeter and for the agora to be open- could be linked at first floor level with bridges. The form of the learning clusters gave
access to the public with access control via the proposals great clarity. This was not
smart card readers located at the entrance to felt to have been carried through to the
each building, creating a confident expression Environmental Performance central facilities, such as the
of the school engaging with the community. administration and public buildings, which
We recognise that this may not be The team has innovated to ensure a good would benefit from more civic character.
appropriate in all situations, and it would also environmental performance, allowing natural Overall, they felt this design would be
be possible to install gate line ticket readers ventilation to work without loss of acoustic inspiring for pupils and community alike.
for smart cards in the agora, that could control (in accordance with the new BB93 Issues of security around the site, with
restrict access to some zones of the school requirements). The learning clusters contain buildings that could be spread out, would
to pupils and staff only. tall spaces (3.3m clear in classrooms) and need to be addressed in developing the
rooftop ventilators provide each classroom design for a particular site. This would be
A consistent aspiration of our design with good ventilation without noise transfer. helped by extending the clear set of rules
approach has been to establish as many links or principles in the design of the clusters,
as possible with landscape and covered The design has passive cooling (apart from the importance of the agora and the
outdoor spaces around the school. We have ICT server rooms), efficient lighting, a wood- utilisation of the landscape in the scheme
sought to design a school that, while secure, fired boiler to minimise carbon emissions and to all other aspects.
is appealing to parents and the community at solar water heating. Simple controls operate
large, encouraging their continued the building systems and there is a minimum Cost Comment
involvement in the school. It is not of plant requiring maintenance. Photo-voltaics The design team’s cost estimate for this
monumental but has a scale that is intimate, and rainwater collection are optional extras scheme excluding abnormals is well
supports the fragile learner, and has strong (with additional funding). below the DfES Net Building Cost guide,
links with designed outdoor areas. due to the use of external building
circulation, i.e. the agora. However, the
Stainless steel ‘support pods’ populate the Cost building does have a high wall to floor
agora, providing containment to various ratio and therefore careful cost
auxiliary functions such as drinking fountains, The scheme as shown has a dispersed layout consideration is needed for the external
cleaners’ stores, telephone and intranet due to the sloping nature of the site. This has envelope. This scheme also has a high
access points, a shop, vending machines and resulted in a relatively high level of abnormals, number of lifts. The relatively high level
plant areas. at approximately 16% of the Gross Capital of abnormals needs further analysis, and
Cost (excluding loose furniture and equipment). to be fully demonstrated against an
interconnected building approach made
rooftop ventilators possible by a level site. This scheme has
had a significant locational factor
ETFE roof
adjustment to normalise its costs, which
could influence the affordability of
certain materials or components.
3.3m
sun classroom atrium

shading
secondary
Cross section of learning

cluster showing ventilation
strategy
seventy-seven
H00944 Secondary dRMM a/w 05/02/04 19:09 Page 78
Long view
View of the ‘forest’ –

for dining, library and
open access
learning
Long section
Long elevation
rural site
A domed roof forms the ‘dura’, a place that is spatially
grand but which has intimate sub-places that people can
make their own; where they can meet, talk and work
Introduction Our hyper-modern school is user friendly. We

de Rijke Marsh Morgan Architects (S3)
have prioritised space, daylight and views,
The design team developed a radical but offering the ‘dura’ an enormous volume
Cost Consultants
practical school design for the twenty-first beneath a mainly transparent ETFE (ethylene
Appleyard and Trew
century, with the deliberate intent of creating tetrafluoroethylene) skin, in which a variety of
individualised places of learning, modular classroom types can be extensively
empowerment and variety. The core site is in (re)configured. Classrooms have adjacent
Michael Hadi Associates
a green belt on the edge of a rural town. spaces to colonise and the school can extend
economically. This spectacular inside/outside
open space creates a generous social
Fulcrum Consulting
Design Philosophy collective, and gives every school the right to
plan and change their own departmental
Fire Engineers
Our approach can be described by the motto layouts according to pedagogy, phasing or
Warrington Fire Research
‘light TOUCH’. This refers to the following ambition.
intentions, in equal priority:
Sites
The Socle
Secondary site A (core)
• a school which is light on its feet, that The ‘socle’ is the enclosed base of the
Sites C and D (variations)
arrives, and adapts, quickly; school, where the building decisively meets
• a school which touches the earth lightly, in the landscape and offers solidity and security,
that it is responsible with natural resources; both metaphorically and literally. It is elliptical
• a school which celebrates natural light, and in shape, anchoring the translucent dura
its connection to outside; above and generating the geometry of its
• a school which encourages sensorial dynamic yet efficient form. An overhang all
experience; around the building provides shelter and
• a school which can inspire, i.e. touch the bicycle storage.
users and community in which it is
positioned; The socle:
• a school which has a light, spirited • contains the main entry, service entries,
atmosphere; sport and storage;
secondary
• a school construction approach which • provides visual connectivity and passive

explores lightweight materials and systems; surveillance through two large ‘open
• a school whose construction impacts lightly volume’ halls which bring natural light deep
on the users and community. into the plan;
seventy-nine
Plan of ‘deck’
(first floor)
113 114
61
54 57 105
65 65 103
65 120 106
68 102
55 56 55 104
53
55 55 66 54
55 64
64
101
80
64 54
52 125 94 forest
below 64
59
56
64
59 81 79 64
53
78 52 107
68 77
52 108
98
52
68 68 68 98
For key to plans

see inside front
cover
Plan of ‘socle’
(ground floor)
117 118
52
73
74
71
76 52
71
72
52
92 92 75
90 90 90
70
123
59
97 69
89 91
the forest 96
86 122
87 83 116
84
109 115
68
88 84 111
110
85 82
• orientates users with a simple cross- can be adapted as terraces. Colour, variety classrooms can connect and/or create new
passage layout and connects the halls; and warmth predominate here, along with spaces. The modular flatpack class
• incorporates doubling-up and connecting many viewpoints, trees and the enveloping construction allows endless variations.
of activities such as the entrance, dining, presence of the sky.
stairs and library; In essence, the dura:
• provides a solid lockable base with The dura roof is an ellipsoidal dome in form, • provides a vast volume of space to be
vulnerable materials out of reach above; with a part translucent, part transparent ETFE colonised as the school sees fit;
• allows parts of the building at ground level skin encapsulating a timber structure. The • transfers a special quality of controllable
to be used out of hours independently; size and shape of the dura can be adjusted daylight into the whole plan via a 66%
• accommodates highly serviced activities to meet local site conditions, and to maximise transparent variable skin ETFE roof;
(e.g. workshops) and those activities ambition within the limits of available • is a climatic envelope creating a macro-
requiring additional sound insulation such resources. Separating the dura roof from the climate of Mediterranean character, a home
as music and drama. deck slab is a perimeter window of for mature trees;
toughened glass, offering a panoramic view • has panoramic views with wraparound
The socle can be freely planned, with its and strong connection to the external 250m continuous ribbon windows;
structure of columns that support the flat slab context. • allows everybody to see everybody else
plateau (‘deck’) above. It offers long-term most of the time, providing visual
flexibility, the grid structure allowing block The dura space can be freely planned, connectivity and passive surveillance
walls to be removed or changed. providing both short- and long-term flexibility. through open plan circulation.
The flat slab deck of the first floor is a table
The socle has two halls. The first of these, the which can be laid with modular classrooms in
‘forest’, is the heart of the school, an atrium many ways. Moving the walls between
space for learning and social interaction that Options for types,
shapes and areas of
organises the subsequent circulation and teaching spaces
continues to orientate and familiarise new
students and visitors as they move through
the dura above. The second is the activity
hall, a four-court sports hall, measuring
19m x 33m with adjoining activity studio,
performance, drama and music spaces as
well as storage and changing facilities. Both
spaces extend to the dura above, helping to
ensure that natural daylight and views are
offered to all parts of the building and
enabling overlooking of events from above.
The Dura
The dura is the spectacular main space of the
school, where the classroom clusters can be
perceived as a hilltop town, arranged around
the upper parts of the halls. Stacking class
modules on the first floor deck and above
produce a staggered section below the
roofline and a roofscape of classrooms that
secondary
Options for clusters of

teaching spaces
eighty-one
Plan of ‘level 2’
(third floor)
54 58
51
54 58
58 58 58 58 58 53
51
123 51
51
51
51
51
For key to plans

see inside front
cover
Plan of ‘level 1’
(second floor)
65 65
65 65
62 60
60 60 66
53 54
123
65
53
65
65
Structural Strategy Sustainability • the capacity for departments to move into

The design intent has been to produce an The design team has worked together as an the dura and thereby free-up the ground
economical and exciting structure, in harmony integrated team to deliver a sustainable floor for expansion of community facilities;
with the architectural and environmental design solution. Construction utilises • the inherent adaptability of the dura itself,
strategy. The structure facilitates a degree of ecologically sound, durable materials which offers the freedom for class modules
flexibility and adaptability that sometimes prefabricated offsite, enabling a short and dry to multiply, or be demounted and
exceeds the requirements of the brief. The site period. Passive services provide fresh reassembled elsewhere, for deck space to
construction techniques employed are in cooled/heated air direct to all classrooms at be occupied, and for new walkways to
accordance with industry best practice and little or no energy cost, without expensive colonise open space; and
are the result of the design team’s research plant or maintenance (see Environmental • the possibility of simple and economical
and construction at Kingsdale Secondary Performance below). extension using the tops of existing
School (a major refurbishment project in classrooms.
Southwark). Off-site prefabrication is used
where appropriate, not only to achieve the Adaptability and Flexibility The form of the building gives great flexibility
highest quality and speed of construction, but in terms of ‘future fit’: the building may be
also to circumvent industry-wide skills The socle and dura interiors both offer configured to suit not only a wide range of
shortages. The selection of materials has planning flexibility, their size and shape able to educational uses, but also recreational,
been informed by environmental and be adjusted to meet local site conditions. The commercial or healthcare uses.
sustainability considerations. design should be tailored at the outset to
meet the needs and desires of the individual
The design has been developed in school and LEA. Management and Organisation
consultation with specialist manufacturers,
with whom the team has collaborated The design can adjust to accommodate As society shifts towards a new culture of life-
successfully in the past, and who have the schools of varying student population sizes, long learning, schools become a valuable
resources to form strong links in a supply organisation arrangements, curriculum resource for adult and family learning. The
chain. specialisation and supplementary facilities. socle design offers the potential for an out-of-
The principles behind this flexibility are as hours library and access to resources such as
The base of the building is formed from a follows: media, design and technology and music.
single storey in-situ concrete frame. This The correctly-proportioned sports hall is a key
serves to support the multi-storey laminated • a flexible grid with diverse permutations feature within the school. It constitutes a
timber classrooms and ETFE/timber gridshell and combinations; valuable, unique spatial and light resource
dome roof, a lightweight envelope on a • a secure undercroft adjacent to the ‘forest’, during out-of-class and at any time of the
robust base. which may be recruited as additional year.
buildable area at low capital cost;
secondary
Interior to exterior
eighty-three
School build up,

based on extended
school variations
Top
View of the sports
hall – with optional
seating and
classroom clusters
beyond
Middle
View from classroom
to classroom terrace
Bottom
Primary routes are
also social spaces,
with lockers and
power poles
Access and transparency are both literal and The school will deliver a fully ventilated building
phenomenal. This is an inclusive school as designed to achieve 8l/s per person within all CABE Design Review Committee
literally defined by a welcoming ‘open door occupied rooms, with the necessary conformity The CABE design review committee
policy’, linked with the idea of a community to the acoustic requirements in BB93. It viewed this as the most radical proposal,
school being a local resource. achieves this by utilising the ability of the ground offering both opportunities and
beneath the building to store heat over a long limitations. They saw potential for the
The use of identity and ‘smart’ cards, linked to period, along with a hybrid ventilation system, school, its construction and servicing to
entries with reception control facilities, will be passively assisted by the wind forces passing become a strong learning device in itself,
the key to these extended usage possibilities, over the building, that delivers individually and for the form of the Dura to become
with general layout and circulation ducted tempered air to each classroom. an emblem for the school. The large
transparency providing the passive security. volume enclosure concept offers a
These smart cards would also be used for the The source of heating and cooling is largely valuable loose-fit principal which would
security of lockers for both students and staff, non-carbon based, utilising the lay surfaces to be liberating from a traditional school
providing secure personal space for basic collect solar heat and reject heat to the sky as model. However, more work is required
items required for their daily schedule. conditions allow. Heat at the appropriate for internal planning and organisation of
temperatures for heating and cooling is then spaces to be convincing. The committee
The provision of personal space around the stored inter-seasonally for use when needed had reservations about the acoustic
building is imperative for reinforcing the in the aquifer or earth beneath the building. A consequences of the sports hall being
students’ general feeling of belonging to the heat pump shifts heat between the hot and within the ‘open volume’ and conflicting
school. This is achieved through a deck cold stores as required. Heat is delivered with quiet study and other activities.
circulation characterised by spatial delight, directly to the incoming air supply. Overall, the scheme had strong ideas
with its interplay of level, direct access to and it would create a strong local
many destinations, oblique views across large The triple layer variable transmission ETFE landmark. More work needs to be done
voids and vistas to the sky, and play of light skin enables control of direct solar gains and on areas like the functionality of
through trees. It is here most strongly delivery of appropriate daylight levels deep triangular classrooms, the form of the
perceived that the dura is about desirable within the building. dome in relationship to the landscape
spaces that enlighten, stimulate, and inform, around and the quality of the
in contrast to the institutional qualities that environment inside the Dura. This will be
many people, both inside and outside Cost an enclosed environment users will
education, associate with schools. This is either love or hate.
emphatically not a system of corridors to The elliptical plan form used here provides a
boxes, but a place; spatially grand but very economical perimeter to area ratio, Cost Comment
with intimate sub-places that people can second only to a circle. The roof has the triple The design team’s cost estimate of this
make their own and where they can meet, function of providing walls, windows and scheme, excluding abnormals, is within
talk and work. weatherproofing. The majority of circulation the DfES Net Building Cost guide. This
areas are multifunctional, providing alternative scheme uses a range of new material
Fire Safety teaching or social space. Flexibility within the technologies which, relative to the other
Warrington Fire Research have prepared a core proposal enables the provision of schemes, has a limited cost database.
report to document the principles of the fire significant additional area in the future, The scheme also has a number of
strategy for the dura. This strategy has been without increasing the cost of the enclosure, design challenges to overcome, all with
based on a fire engineering approach, at less than half base cost/m2. Much of the the potential to increase cost. This
designed to ensure that the building is safe technology proposed is a direct result of the scheme has had a significant locational
for the occupants and for the fire brigade Kingsdale School project, and scheme costs factor adjustment for the traditional
dealing with a fire. are calculated accordingly. elements but only a minor adjustment
for the specialist elements to normalise
The result is a flexible economic solution, its costs, which could influence the
Environmental Performance using tried and tested technology, which affordability of certain materials or
would benefit from further design components.
The school fabric and form are considered as development and ongoing value engineering.
an integral part of the environmental engineering
solution. Where a change in form, such as The scheme has relatively high abnormals at
secondary
height or orientation or site location, would approximately 12% of the Gross Capital Cost
benefit the internal environmental conditions this (excluding loose furniture and equipment) of
has been done. Modelling, both physically in the which about 75% relates to site works.
Heliodon and through computer simulation, was
used continuously to enable this.
eighty-five
H00944 Secondary Alsop a/w 5/2/04 6:55 pm Page 86
The atrium is
populated with a
series of alternative
learning
environments that
provide informal
learning and social
spaces
The central atrium

forms a street and a
heart to the school
Long section through Model 1 design

tight urban site

Two different types of extendable, adaptable learning
environments on either side of a central atrium: capable
on very tight sites of being raised above the ground on
columns, with the landscape of the street flowing beneath
Introduction Site
ALSOP Architects (S4)
Every school has its own individual aspirations We were asked to look initially at a confined
Cost Consultants
and identity. If our design was repeated, it site in an inner city location: site F. A number
would require adaptation to fit each site and of proposals have been prepared for site F
community. We are committed to community based on the core brief and variations,
architecture of the broadest sense, involving a including a ‘community campus’.
Buro Happold
full spectrum of users and eliciting their
aspirations for the school environment they In parallel with these developments, the
are to inhabit. To take this design forward, an design team has considered how the generic
Buro Happold
integrated and inclusive design process is elements of the scheme can be applied on
necessary to create an effective learning other sites; demonstrating adaptability at the
Education Advisor
environment. Ownership of the design and macro scale by examining a number of
Mark Dudek
participation in the process is essential to the alternative arrangements on a less confined
final outcome. urban site. The multi-storey solution has
Construction Advisor
allowed a large part of site E to be used for
Miller Construction
We have worked with the headteacher, staff non-school community uses. The school has
and pupils of our ‘partner school’, as the been designed on the remaining smaller site
Facilitation
community and stakeholders for the area of 1.8ha.
Architecture FAB
development of our design. The partner
school has acted as our surrogate client and The variations possible with the multi-storey
Sites
provided the stimulus to look beyond the brief design that has evolved represent a number
Secondary site E (reduced)
and incorporate their aspirations and needs. of possible models for a school for the future.
Site F
Each can respond to different site conditions
We passionately believe that the school and environments:
should embrace the needs of all users and
there should be a positive relationship Model 1: Medium rise, confined site
between the school and the local community. This represents the simplest of the school
Our ‘community campus’ proposals, we models. It assumes a four-storey building with
secondary
believe, present a clear picture of how an single sided ventilation on a site of at least
extended school in an inner city location 1.8ha with little external noise or air pollution.
should develop to respond to the needs of Many of the larger school functions are
the local community. integrated into the landscape as free-standing
eighty-seven
We have separated
the learning
environment into two
distinct elements,
the bookcase and
the test-bed, on
either side of the
atrium
bookcase
atrium
test-bed
Typical short section through the Model 1

design, with the base of the atrium forming
the street through the centre of the school
The design allows a number of possible

models using the same kit of parts,
depending on the site constraints and the
extended brief
Traditional multi-storey school Model 1: Medium rise, Model 2: Mixed mode,

confined site confined site
Model 3: Citadel, tight Model 4: Mixed street, Model 5: Community Campus,

urban site tight urban site urban site
pavilions. Plans of this model are shown in route through the building at ground level. vertically stacked as a four-storey series of
this case study. Large pebble-like structures accommodate layers containing different types of practical
the school’s main hall, dining and sports learning activity that can be expressed in
Model 2: Mixed mode, confined site facilities. different materials and forms.
In a similar site where the external
environment is more polluted or noisy, fresh Bookcase The test-bed has been designed to offer
air ducts bring air into the general teaching Our initial concept for a vertically stacked flexibility in the arrangement and layout of the
areas and chimneys ventilate the atrium and school arranged either side of a central atrium practical learning areas. By their nature they
study areas. has been strengthened by dedicating one require larger room sizes (with a 9m depth)
side of the atrium to flexible learning and than the bookcase.
Model 3: Citadel, tight urban site classrooms. This we have called the
Where the site is limited in its size and bookcase. Atrium
access, the functions previously in the The atrium is the soft centre of the school
landscape as pavilions can be tucked The bookcase is a continuous uninterrupted where the school opens up into a village of
beneath the mass of school to reduce the learning zone spread over four floors of the activities coming together and legible within
overall footprint of the building. building. It can be subdivided into cellular the excitement of larger volume.
spaces to meet the demands of the current
Model 4: Mixed street, tight urban site curriculum delivery and class sizes. The floor Our atrium contains the school’s reception,
On an inner city site with good access and to ceiling height is a generous 3m, to increase doubling as an exhibition space to display the
permeability but a very limited site area, a daylight penetration and assist natural student’s artwork, designs and projects,
new street beneath the school stitches the ventilation. impressing the confidence of the school upon
building back into the urban fabric. The street students, staff and visitors. Sixth form study
is programmed with school activities shared As the impact of ICT begins to change the areas and opportunities for social gathering
with the local community outside of school school’s learning environment, we have and informal learning areas are interspersed
hours. This is the original core design. anticipated room sizes varying and becoming at different levels within the atrium, serviced
more open plan, with a variety of learning with ICT links in the transition to a wireless
Model 5: Community Campus, urban site activities taking pace within a single area. By system of laptops or tablets.
This incorporates an extended school brief opening up the bookcase into the atrium and
and integrates the school into the heart of its widening the circulation locally, the classroom Our workshops with the partner school
urban context by making it the centre for can become ever larger and increasingly open identified early on a need for social spaces or
learning in the community. The street is now plan. ‘chill out spaces’ for pupils to meet between
fully developed with school and community lessons outside of the formal classroom
activity. Key worker housing is incorporated at Test-bed structure. Our perception was that a variety of
roof level to create a thriving mixed use The test-bed has evolved through the team’s semi-private and private learning areas, set
development. desire to embrace off-site construction and aside from the primary circulation routes,
explore it as the driver for an evolving could more successfully utilise the atrium as
programme of practical learning activities. It is an alternative learning environment.
Design Philosophy
In the ‘test-bed’,
Four distinct learning environments have
different
emerged as a kit of parts: the ‘bookcase’, prefabricated
‘test-bed’, atrium and ‘pebbles’. The practical learning
spaces can be
bookcase anticipates the general teaching
‘plugged in’ between
areas changing in response to developments the stair towers, to
in the curriculum, ICT innovation and pastoral suit the requirements
of the school (model
care. The test-bed allows the school to
4 design illustrated)
adjust its mix and priorities in practical
learning over time.
The test-bed also contains the school’s

vertical circulation, connected to a series of
secondary
bridges suspended within the atrium. The

atrium is the vibrant heart of the school, full of
social and learning activity, and in the Model 1
and 2 designs incorporates a street forming a
eighty-nine
123 120 123
66 65 Third floor plan

65
61 53
65
67 65 68
125 98
101 59
119 119
60
56 54 54
64 64 64 64 60 60
64
59 64 59
123 120 123
65 65 65 Second floor
53 plan
65 65 65 68
98 125
101
119 119
54 55 54
58 56
55 55
58 58 55
55
58 59 57
123 120 123

79 53 102 103 First floor plan
77 81
78
80 87
105 104
54 59 106 54
98 125
101
119 119
51 56
51 56 58 51
58
50 51
51 51
Ground floor plan

of Model 1
123 120 123
design (main
84 88 84 building)
72
126 71 71 82
86
117 114 88
112 85
100 68
61 76 97 99
111
110
73 74 70 75 107
69 121 113 109

108
115
94
Opposite page:
partial site plan
showing hall,
dining and
sports hall
Pebbles One of a series of

Large spaces used by the community outside diagrams illustrating how
the internal layout of the
the school day are accommodated in pebble- design could respond to
like structures that are arranged as pavilions subtle changes in the
in the landscape in the Model 1 and 2 curriculum and ICT during
the life of the school (see
designs. In the Model 3, 4 and 5 designs, on also page 16)
a tight inner city site, these are tucked under
the raised building, arranged in a secure
cluster on the south side of the site linked by
a flowing landscape of dining decks and
outdoor learning and garden spaces. anticipated future change from traditional
classroom ‘boxes’ to larger semi-open plan
areas.
Adaptability and Flexibility
When applied to a tight urban site, the area in the site landscape. As a consequence
The layout and construction of many new provision of ‘play decks’ within the school the building is longer and five storeys overall.
school buildings are unable to respond to builds in additional flexibility by creating
simple changes in the curriculum and the use outdoor breakout and teaching space that The school is raised up to form a new public
of evolving new ICT, often resulting in a can be enclosed to provide additional realm at ground level: a street that is a living
school having to make unsatisfactory accommodation in the future without having part of the community. Lifting the school
compromises in order to make changes. Our to extend the school. separates the dedicated teaching areas away
proposals demonstrate how a school can from those functions shared with the
respond to this critical need for adaptability at Site F: Tight inner city site community, and creates a secure school
a ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ scale. The school on a tight inner city site is formed environment at high level.
from the same kit of parts: the test-bed and
We have set out the school with flexibility as a bookcase with an atrium between. Site F is The landscape of the street is layered across
key design driver. The layout delivers the only 0.9ha and must include a multi-use the site and beyond so that new connections
optimum widths for general teaching and games area to reduce the need to access are formed with existing green spaces and
practical learning in two linear floor plates off-site playing fields, so the building is raised the rest of the site is opened up and made
either side of the atrium. Any size of general above the ground on columns with the larger accessible. The school entrance is directly off
teaching or practical learning space can be elements of the brief tucked beneath the the street with an entrance foyer and security
delivered within these areas by moving and building. ‘Play decks’ are required to make up point before an escalator and stair rise up to
relocating partitions. This allows for the for the lack of space for informal and social the school reception level.
secure
secure gate, pedestrian gate and
and bicycle access vehicle
access
workshop delivery staff and visitor parking

bicycle path and footpath
entrance
plaza
92
93 89 124
92 116
115
90 91
95 94 kitchen
secondary
delivery
127
ninety-one
Top: The design Above: Model 4 on

team anticipates site F is a multi-
room sizes varying storey solution
and becoming more layered over a
open plan, with a landscape of
variety of activities learning, which can
taking place within a include extended
single area schools facilities as
shown
Left: Typical short Below: In the also serves the

section through the ‘community campus’ community, and
Model 4 design, variation, the street vocational subjects
showing the school is the centre of the taught within the
raised above the design and is street aim to relate
ground plane with a populated with new education directly to
street beneath functions and uses. the social and
Some school commercial activities
accommodation is at of the world all
ground level and around
Community Campus The building location, orientation and form the occupants. Free thermal storage has
The concept at the heart of the livable respond to the external environment to gain been optimised to the benefit of the energy
community is the integration of learning into benefit from daylight, the solar path and profile of the school.
every aspect of contemporary living. The prevailing winds, whilst minimising the impact
‘community campus’ would provide a secure, of external noise and air pollution. The use of energy has been taken a stage
seamless environment which nurtures many further by considering a variation that has
different, co-existent activities, blending to A mixed mode solution for the environmental zero fossil fuel energy in use. This option
enrich the educational curriculum and strategy has been adopted for the learning considers the use of alternative technologies
simultaneously foster an enduring community areas in all the design models. Fresh clean air such as combined heat and power, ground
ethos for future generations. is drawn in at low level and distributed around source heat pumps, photo-voltaics and solar
the building through the raised floor voids. collectors.
From our discussions with Mark Dudek and
Wendy Parmley, the Principal of an existing The strategy for the internal environment of
inner city school, we believe the school of the the learning spaces relies on the following Cost
future should establish social, educational and elements:
commercial links with the community, both The scheme has relatively few abnormals,
locally and further afield. These links will • minimising solar and internal heat gains; which amount to approximately 4% of the
benefit the school educationally and culturally, • maximising the thermal mass of the Gross Capital Cost (excluding loose furniture
and generate additional income for the building; and equipment).
school. The Community Campus is primarily • ensuring effective ventilation throughout the
intended to establish the secondary school as year – controlled ventilation in peak winter
a physical and virtual centre for people living and summer;
locally. It would also encourage adults back • large openable areas providing a naturally The CABE design review committee
into an educational environment where by a ventilated solution when the external air commented chiefly on the tight urban
process of retraining and re-skilling they are temperatures match the internal context of site F but believed this
enabled to make a positive contribution back requirements for both ventilation and proposal would produce an inspirational
into the community. temperature; and exciting school environment. The
• in the summer the mixed mode ventilation generic approach of an atrium building
operates over night to provide a secure raised above a collection of specific self-
Environmental Performance way of cooling the exposed concrete slabs contained buildings was one that offered
ready for slow release of the ‘coolth’ the a good model for an inner-city school.
A school building must not be frozen in time and following day; They believed further development could
must be able to adapt to changes in the • the mechanical ventilation system has been address concerns over the practicality of
curriculum to reflect the wide range of users and designed to achieve low fan power the intense separation of the main
activities. The engineering systems are designed consumption with a simple control strategy; school level from the ground plane, and
to allow flexibility within the learning environment • acoustic separation is achieved to the any tendency towards an ‘undercroft’
to suit the future needs of the staff and requirements of BB93. feel when the ‘street’ was not in use. The
students. At a larger scale, the design concept allows for further community
represents a building solution capable of being The whole-life energy consumption of the buildings to be added when funds or
adapted to any site, including those with poor school is enhanced by the construction needs demand, providing a realistic and
noise and air pollution, brownfield sites and sites methods and use of materials, the energy sensible approach to growth.
with restricted access in urban environments. efficient environmental strategies and the
future adaptability of the building. The Cost Comment
optimum orientation of the building is on a The design team’s cost estimate for this
predominantly east-west axis. Great efforts scheme, excluding abnormals, is in line
have been made to opt for a solution with the DfES Net Building Cost guide.
that only uses the mechanical Even though the abnormals are relatively
ventilation when required by low, these require further consideration.
A number of main elements have
economic cost targets which will drive
the design parameters. This scheme has
secondary
had a significant locational factor

Cut-away section
adjustment to normalise its costs, which
through deep practical
learning space in the could influence the affordability of
test-bed, showing mixed certain materials or components.
mode air flow
ninety-three
H00944 Secondary P&P a/w 5/2/04 7:02 pm Page 94
Top right: library

terrace – first floor
sheltered terrace or
‘sky garden’
Middle right: sixth

form social space in
first floor internal
‘sky garden’
Bottom right: view

down through the
foyer from the first
floor
Bottom left: view of

‘sky gardens’ in a
light link
larger urban site

Three adaptable multi-storey learning platforms
are connected by ‘light links’ which combine
stairs, ‘sky gardens’, views and social spaces
Introduction
Penoyre & Prasad Architects (S5)
This design is for a six-storey school on a Clothing the rig is a technologically

Cost Consultants
restricted urban site. The design team aimed sophisticated skin, prefabricated in aluminium
Dobson White Boulcott
to accommodate the current, conventional with triple glazing. This provides the best
brief and also open up future possibilities for possible internal conditions for learning and
school environments. The main body of the for controlling daylight, heat, ventilation and
Alan Conisbee and Associates
school building is a ‘rig’ – a framework for a acoustics. Its external appearance, with
variety of learning environments. The rig subtle use of colour and pattern, expresses
Services Engineers
consists on each floor of three learning variety and optimism. The rig is lifted one floor
Atelier 10
platforms, with sets of flexible and adaptable off the ground, enabling the ground floor to
spaces. The platforms are connected by ‘light be planned with a freer geometry to suit the
links’ which combine stairs, ‘sky gardens’, particular site, community facilities and routes
Grant Associates
city views and social spaces. to and from the immediate neighbourhood.
Acoustic Consultants
Fleming and Barron
Fire Engineers
Buro Happold FEDRA
Sites
Secondary site E
Site F (variation)
secondary
ninety-five
Options within
adaptable clusters:
from enclosed
classrooms . . .
(from left on plans
below)
. . . to open plan
learning (at right on
plans above)
Design Philosophy Double height spaces are distributed around Adaptability and Flexibility
the school in the light links, like mini atria. This
We are in the middle of a revolution in how allows the creation of many centres and can In the four bay cluster, 59m2 classrooms open
young people are taught – or rather how they support school organisation in subject areas, to the corridor with folding screens. Acoustic
learn – a shift from teaching environments to age based groups or the ‘school within compliance to BB93 is achieved because the
learning environments. ICT, particularly school’ concept. From inside the light links, corridor acts as an acoustic lobby. Opening a
wireless networking, is also changing the way timber lined external terraces and ‘sky pair of screens creates a space of 137m2,
children learn. There is every sign that this gardens’ are visible, with storey-high glazed suitable for a teacher to present to a group of
process of transformation will continue, and balustrades for safety, city views and a sense up to 90 students. The students can then
learning will be less based around classrooms of the outdoors. The light links contain service distribute throughout the cluster for self-
of up to 30 students. Learning could take cores, WCs, drinking water fountains, lockers directed learning. The acoustic performance
place in open plan schools and in the and lifts. They also incorporate social areas in this arrangement will be less than the
community, and multimedia will be the way and staff rooms for discreet supervision, and standard classrooms can achieve, but
children and staff express and present their twin stairs, one enclosed, one open. The top schools may nevertheless decide that a range
work. Our design’s aim is to allow for future floor of the ‘rig’ would be another special of additional flexible spaces that are not to
educational changes while meeting the areas place with safe external terraces, staff and BB93 are still worth having. When all four
in the brief’s more orthodox accommodation sixth form rooms and roof-lit spaces for the screens are open, these linked spaces could
schedules with standard classrooms. art studios. be used for exams, allowing the hall or sports
hall to continue in use by school and
Arranging these standard classrooms across The rig is arranged on the site so the community without being taken over by
a corridor in clusters of four or six can give classrooms face north and south, avoiding exams periodically through the year.
very useful, flexible and adaptable spaces for low angle sun at the beginning and end of the Alternatively, the entire platform can be used
the future. When you remove the classroom day. There is no reason why all the schools for multiple-foci open learning sessions. If
partitions the rig makes four spaces of should look the same, and with our various required, all areas can become large open
15 x 20m and eight spaces that are possible layouts of the rig, each school can plan spaces, with small seminar and group
20 x 20m. In the two end clusters there is no create its own unique identity and response rooms.
requirement for a through route, so there is to its site. We have concentrated on a
complete freedom to change these spaces to ‘straight’ rig, but we also have developed one Two science rooms of at least 85m2 can fit
open plan learning areas. of these alternative layouts, a ‘flexy’ rig. into the same space as three classrooms of
secondary
Looking towards
entrance of the
‘flexy’ rig option
ninety-seven
Left: Alternative ‘rig’ Top: short section

layouts through light link
Zigzag rig Below: aerial view

of school on core
site E
Bow rig
Straight rig
Displaced rig
Flexy rig
Bottom: long
section through
foyer and light links
light link light link

59m2. This means that science laboratories, Management and Organisation on the first and second floors; pupils can be
larger light practical rooms and general in one place for longer periods and the
teaching rooms can easily be interchanged Entrance teachers move around more. Our fire strategy
when planning different school options, or in Students, staff and visitors arrive in the allows the light links to work as means of
future adaptations. double height foyer. From here they can see escape. As the route is just below 18m on
and reach the main hall, activity studio, dining the fifth floor the escape issues are
The teaching rig can be rotated, for example room, breakfast club area, sports hall, library straightforward and firefighting shafts are not
to suit site F as a variation we were asked to and design and technology areas. This is ‘the needed. The light links are protected shafts,
consider. On this very restricted 0.9ha site, civic ground’ and the local community can each with one open stair and one enclosed,
the required informal and social areas are have access to these areas for adult learning giving two means of escape for every
provided by including roofs as usable and sports, music and drama or community location. Sprinklers can be installed for
landscaped spaces. Further playing fields are meetings. Both the north entrance from the additional protection, but they are not a
off-site. This variation also illustrates how the car park and the main pedestrian south requirement for our scheme to work.
large community spaces on the ground floor entrance bring people into this entrance foyer,
can be rearranged to suit a different site. surveyed by the reception desk. At evenings Access, Security and Safety
or weekends access can be limited to the The design of the landscape around the
This exemplar design allows for the school to public spaces and the sports hall can be a school provides a secure boundary as well as
be built in phases for 600, expanding to 850 self-contained community facility. enclosing and defining the site. Car parking is
and up to 1600 as illustrated in other to the north side, with deliveries. Pedestrian
variations. By simply expanding the free-form Stairs, Circulation and Fire Strategy access is from the south, with cycle park,
dining/library space more community facilities, A wide stair coming up from the entrance linking to routes to nearby bus and train
such as a large public library, can be reaches the first-floor part of the foyer, transport links and the main playing fields.
included. The design allows each school opposite the library. A light box runs along A perimeter security fence can be ‘lost’ within
management team to lay out their school as this space, shown red and green, to display tree planting. Access control technology such
they wish, whether organised as upper and students’ work. From here an extra-wide as swipe cards can allow more than one site
lower schools, managed with a faculty circulation area meets the two light links and entrance to work safely, with all entrance
structure, or delivering various specialist staircases to upper floors, which can be doors controlled. Access to the car park can
curricula. closed off if required to limit after-hours use. be similarly controlled. Views between internal
The everyday vertical circulation of most spaces encourage a sense of openness
pupils and staff is by the stairs. The between students and staff and prevent
movement of pupils around the building can unsupervised areas providing opportunities for
be reduced by arranging an upper school on bullying. Staff rooms are grouped centrally
Ground floor foyer
area with shared the third and fourth floors and a lower school along with resource or social areas, stairs and
community spaces toilets in the light links, offering discreet
such as dining room, supervision. Fully glazed doors allow views
recital room,
assembly hall and into classrooms, and small group rooms are
sports hall highly glazed.
The inclusion support suite is in a central

location, opposite the library on the first floor
in the core scheme. A group room is provided
in the same central location on each floor.
Low-pitch stairs and evacuation lifts improve
circulation and safety for disabled users.
A further variation includes a specialist
educational needs support centre integrated
into the design. Another provides community
integration and gives children on-site
opportunities beyond the classroom. There
are healthcare facilities, a crèche, a job
centre, business and retail units, and training
secondary
opportunities with the businesses that share

the site. Key worker and school
accommodation can be on top of the rig or
included on-site.
ninety-nine
52
Top (fifth) floor plan 79
124 52
52
113 124 98 98 80 77 52 78
81
53 53 57 54
For key to plans
see inside front terrace terrace
cover
terraces terrace
Second floor plan

(third and fourth floor
plans similar)
social area
51 51 125 51 51 55 65 65
66
53 52
51 51 56 55 55 65 65
57
125
125
First floor plan
terrace
85 102 103
101 61 106 53 75 74
84 86 83 105 104 52
54 52
125 84 52 53
125 70
84 52 51 57 125 69
84 84 52 54
99
terrace
100 library
97 terrace
Ground floor plan
91 95 94
92
92 53 101
93
87 52 72 52
82 73
52 foyer 52 71
52
54 117 111 52
89 118 76
114 96 109 71
116 124
90
115
90
Site Context system will be sufficient to reduce the overall Generally the scheme is very efficient and
heating load to zero, apart from ten minutes economic in comparison with costs expected
The core site, site E, is in a large urban area warm-up on winter mornings. In the summer, for this type of accommodation. The
surrounded by residential buildings of two to the ventilation system cools the building approach to the mechanical and electrical
four storeys. Flight paths from a nearby during the daytime, with night cooling of the services design has contributed to keeping
airport contribute to high external noise levels. thermal mass through high-level windows. We the capital costs to a reasonable level.
The site is split by a residential road into predict that the energy running costs will be
4.3ha for playing fields and an area of 2.5ha, lower than for a naturally ventilated system.
of which only 1.1ha is suitable for building. CABE Design Review Committee
Our alternative site F is only 0.9ha. Both sites With lower than average build costs, our The CABE design review committee
require a multi-storey solution. scheme can include venetian blinds within the believe this scheme faces the challenge
triple glazing to cut out heat and glare, yet of finding a new urban form for a school.
Landscape design reflect sunlight and daylight up to the ceiling It has similarities with the old board
The scheme promotes low maintenance by using light bending technology (such as schools, but improves their amenity,
sustainable landscapes for both learning and ‘Serraglaze’ or reflective venetian blinds). In introduces double height day-lit
well-being. You look down onto sedum roofs this way the common occurrence of large circulation and achieves daylight into the
on the library and halls which help reduce areas of glazing with blinds down and the classroom, coupled with providing a
sound from the noisy air traffic around this lights on is avoided. Other energy-saving flexible plan. It was felt that the scheme
site. Brown roofs also reduce jet sound and options such as rainwater recycling and solar recognised the challenge of moving
allow local plants to self-seed, supporting heating can be provided. pupils around in high-rise solutions, in
local flora and fauna. Both kinds of roof are creating break-out and social spaces in
part of a sustainable urban drainage system, the ‘light links’. However, more
including permeable paving. With the outdoor Construction consideration needs to be given to the
teaching gardens, habitat areas and planting nature of the return ends and how they
for shade and wildlife, an important The rig has a modular grid, and the frame can relate to the ‘light links’, and to how the
educational resource is created that enhances be constructed economically in a number of entrance might be made stronger, to
the ecological value of the site. The entrances ways to suit local market conditions and the become the ‘special space’ it should be.
to the site and key routes to school are preferences of the constructor. A ‘fast frame’ Overall this scheme was thought to be
marked with totems with display screens, so hybrid concrete and steel solution is likely to modest in expression but systematic and
schools are able to showcase children’s work provide the best combination of speed and flexible in its approach, with a sensible
to their community and provide other useful factory quality. The large span community attitude to construction. The committee
information about services and events. spaces are independently structured and supported the proposition for a tall
could be in different forms and materials to school building in an urban context.
suit the design intent or local market
Environmental Performance conditions. Cost Comment
The design team’s cost estimate for this
The main environmental problems in existing Non-load bearing partitions, cladding and
scheme excluding abnormals is within
schools are overheating in summer, lack of roofing can be produced as cassettes or
the DfES Net Building Cost guide. The
fresh air in winter, and, particularly on our site, panels. The external façade to the classrooms
abnormals for this scheme are inter-
external noise interference while using natural incorporates ventilation, heating and special
related and therefore site specific. The
ventilation. We have addressed these key glazing components. These can be made off
design and costs implications, should
issues by developing a prototype façade site as storey-height, classroom-width units
these abnormals be avoided, will need to
system. This clads and insulates the building that fix to the edge of the structural frame,
be tested. The novel approach to the
and contains local mechanical ventilation reducing time consuming and costly site
mechanical and some of the electrical
systems with sound attenuation to ensure installation and coordination of services.
services distribution will need to be
sufficient fresh air at the right temperature Toilets are standardised as modules,
carefully considered and costed in its
directly to each classroom. supported and slotted into the frame.
detailing. This scheme has had a large
locational factor adjustment to normalise
The energy required to heat incoming
its costs, which could influence the
ventilation air is much more significant Cost
affordability of certain materials or
than the conduction heat losses from the
components.
secondary
room. Heat gains in a school from the The site is a restricted urban site under a
occupants are around three times as great flight path, resulting in abnormals of some
as the conduction heat losses. A 60% 10% of the Gross Capital Cost (excluding
efficient heat exchanger to the ventilation loose furniture and equipment).
one hundred and one

all through school
Exemplar Designs
concepts and ideas
H00944 All through a/w 05/02/04 19:22 Page 104
Top Middle Bottom

View between The central Covered courtyard
primary and covered courtyard in use as a
secondary performance space
courtyards
exemplar all through school design
larger urban site

An ‘All Age Community School’ that interlocks primary and secondary
provision, with a central space that could provide a unique identity and
an outstanding facility for both school and community
Introduction • the structure of teaching and learning is

Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects
also being rethought, with a shift towards
The design team has developed a design that individual learning programmes and space
Cost Consultants
physically integrates a primary and secondary requirements that vary from large group
school, with shared facilities as appropriate. gatherings, through traditional classroom
We have called our scheme the All Age teaching, to individual study;
Community School, but this type of school is • schools are fulfilling increasingly important
Buro Happold
also known as an ‘all through school’. This is roles in the social life of pupils, who often
a pattern that is common in some other come from fragmented backgrounds and
countries, including those in Scandinavia, but may be at the school for extended periods;
Buro Happold
unusual in Britain. Having explored the • schools are also becoming increasingly
concept, we believe there are many potential important in local communities, staying
advantages and that there are growing open for longer hours and providing a wide
Plincke Landscape
reasons for this model to become adopted in range of community facilities.
the British education system. However, we
Facilities Management
have also sought to produce a design that The overriding message that comes from
would provide a viable model for a stand- these issues is the need for schools to offer
alone secondary school. high levels of adaptability – we simply do not
Construction Advice
know how they will be used in the next ten
Kajima Construction
New Organisations, New Pedagogies years, let alone across the whole of their
We are in a time of change, when the current lifespans.
Sites
mode of delivering education is increasingly
Primary and Secondary Site C (core)
being questioned and structures for that All Age Schools in the Education System
Secondary Sites A and B (variations)
delivery are being rethought. Some key issues All Age Schools need to be seen in the
are as follows: context of the wider education system. The
scheme that we have developed is highly
• the pattern of primary schools being adaptable to accommodate different
relatively small (to serve a local catchment circumstances. The principal core scheme is
area) and secondary schools being for a 2FE nursery and primary school with a
all through
relatively large (in order to carry a range of 6FE secondary school, with a sixth form;
specialisations and provide viable sixth effectively the primary and secondary core
forms) is being challenged; briefs added together.
one hundred and five

Options for the brief Upper school
Middle school
Lower school
The 2FE primary, Secondary school A 4FE all through

6FE secondary school
option, with two
federated primary Primary school
schools
The concept
The building concept Much of the secondary
educational space is
organised as ‘clusters’
at each corner of the
central space
Shared kitchen,
dining and activity
spaces
Covered courtyard:
predominantly older
pupils
Open courtyard:
predominantly
younger pupils
We would suggest that this school could be • a scheme with exciting architectural quality; arranged as a two-storey building around a
federated to two additional primary schools in • creation of a genuinely ‘social’ environment; courtyard, with the younger years on the
order to realise the benefits of the through • all this … and value for money. lower level and older years on the first storey.
school model. The design that has been developed is based
A building concept has been developed that around class teaching, and two classrooms
We have also developed a 4FE ‘All Through is based around two courtyards. Firstly, there can be amalgamated where appropriate.
School’, with 4FE at both primary and is a large covered courtyard, which is
secondary level, which we believe opens predominantly for older children and for Secondary Teaching Accommodation
up a range of educational opportunities community use, but also has more limited use Specialist teaching facilities, including art,
worth exploring. for younger children. Secondly, there is an music, drama, design and technology and
open courtyard, which is predominantly used graphics, are located on the ground floor.
Finally, it should be said that the exemplar by the younger children but has some use by Other teaching accommodation is mostly
design that has been developed could be older children. The two schools are linked arranged in ‘clusters’ at each corner of the
used in a wide range of other configurations visually through the primary hall, which is main space.
while retaining the basic concept. In glazed at both ends, and physically by two
particular, the model developed could be connections at each level, although there
used as a stand-alone secondary school from would be clear security arrangements to Flexibility and Adaptability
4FE upwards. control movements. A number of shared
facilities are placed between the two schools; The scheme that has been developed is
Potential Benefits of Through Schools these include reception, staff room, inclusion highly versatile and can provide for a wide
There is a range of potential advantages to support suite, administration and kitchen range of different school configurations. The
through schools, including: and dining. design is also extremely adaptable and
spaces provided can be used in a wide
• the ability to break out of year group The Central Space variety of different arrangements.
organisation – with particular benefits for The central covered space is key to the
more able pupils; identity of this project. At more than 40m The flexibility of the primary/lower school
• placing the school at the heart of the square and three storeys high, it is an configuration can accommodate a large
community, offering educational activities impressive heart to the scheme, naturally lit number of different layouts. The clusters in
for all ages; through north lights. On a day to day basis the secondary school may be used either as
• continuity of ‘knowledge’ of pupils; the space provides for dining, overspill from enclosed classrooms or for more open plan
• avoidance of performance set-backs on the library, circulation and social space. On arrangements.
entering a new school; the upper levels there are no corridors –
• greater opportunities for staff within a larger circulation occurs on balconies into the main
(and integrated) staff community; space and these frequently widen out to Management and Organisation
• enhanced governance; provide additional social/study space. The
• operational efficiencies and benefits space also offers a wide range of Access Control
through integration; opportunities for displaying the work of the The All Age Community School has been
• building efficiencies through optimising school on banners via plasma screens and designed to operate in a wide variety of ways,
utilisation; projection. reflecting the complexity of the brief. Four
• the scope for developing a continuum of particular aspects of management control
pedagogies from primary through to the The central space has a range of other should be noted:
sixth form. potential uses, including performance, whole
school gatherings, music and parent • Younger children are clustered around a
evenings. two-storey courtyard which is gated at one
Design Approach end. On arrival, parents can either deliver to
Communal Spaces a separate reception and into the gated
Our proposals have been developed with the The principal communal spaces, including courtyard, or directly to the classroom. Play
aim of achieving the following key objectives: sports hall, main school hall, library and occurs both in the gated courtyard and in
primary hall, are arranged around the central the separate gardens to each of the
• creation of a true community building: courtyard to provide easy access both to the infants’ classrooms and nursery.
‘deep community = deep learning’; school(s) and the community. • Older children will arrive at the school and
all through
• a compact scheme with secondary and gain access to the central space either via
primary schools appropriately interlocked; Primary/Lower School the front entrance, or via a rear entrance
• maximum adaptability of teaching and The primary school in the 2FE/6FE model, or which will normally lead towards the car
learning spaces; the lower school in the 4FE model, are parking area. Additional entrances may be
one hundred and seven

Adaptability: options A typical secondary

for infants’ school cluster in an
classrooms open plan
arrangement with a
variety of partially
screened and
10m2
enclosed spaces
57m2 57m2
Two 57m2 classrooms with 6m2

storage and 10m2 small group room
25m2
62m2 62m2
Two 62m2 classrooms with mobile

storage
25m2
50m2 25m2 50m2
Two 50m2 classrooms with two 25m2

shared teaching areas
140m2
The same secondary
school cluster
subdivided into three
55m2 enclosed
classrooms and one
85m2 practical area
One 140m2 shared open plan pair of

classrooms capable of subdivision by
screens and furniture
obtained at the base of fire stairs if without any additional heating and the lack of There is also a range of options for the roof
required. The concentrated form of the pipework contributes to the overall flexibility. over the central space. One attractive option
school provides a very secure environment would be timber columns and a ‘Lamellar’
where it is easy to control access. The scheme has been designed to have roof structure, and this has been illustrated on
• The interface between younger and older acoustic performance in compliance with page 104. Alternatives include steel and more
children occurs either through the primary BB93. The provision of an artificial ventilation simple timber structures.
hall, or through two security controlled links system means that the design is appropriate
on both ground and first floor. Both older to be used in areas where there is high The project offers considerable opportunities
and younger children may move between ambient noise. for off-site manufacture and modern methods
these spaces in appropriate circumstances. of construction. It is believed that construction
• Community access will predominantly be to time could be significantly reduced by an
facilities that are on the ground floor of the Construction experienced contractor.
central space. Access is controlled via the
reception desk, and other facilities can be The structure is extremely straightforward and
selectively secured with relatively limited the main academic areas could be either a
effort. combination of steel and precast planks or
in-situ flat slabs, depending on comparative
Fire Engineering economics at tender.
The scheme has been designed to ensure
Isometric diagram of
safety in the event of fire, and the central air path within a
space is vented to prevent the build-up of typical cluster
smoke in a primary area of circulation.
Staircases are located at each corner,
providing direct discharge to the outside air
and evacuation within appropriate time limits.
Inclusion
The scheme has been designed to provide
good accessibility throughout the
accommodation. The main communal
facilities and the shared inclusion support
suite are located on the ground floor, together
with many of the specialist teaching spaces,
and upper levels are reached by two lifts
within the main central space and a third lift
serving the primary space. Relatively short
travel distances are achieved by the compact
plan form. In the 4FE ‘all through’ model this
will be assisted by the relatively limited
amount of movement around the school.
Environmental Performance
The school has been designed with a strong

emphasis on environmental responsibility.
Energy consumption would be minimised by
providing good levels of natural lighting, a
highly insulated shell and an extremely
efficient ventilation system. This ventilation
system would use a ‘labyrinth’ below the
all through
structure to provide pre-heating in winter and

cooling in summer as well as high standards
of fresh air provision. Apart from a pre-heat in
the mornings, the school generally operates
one hundred and nine

For key to numbers

Ground floor plan 34/7
(2FE/6FE scheme) see inside front
cover
92
89 90
92
73 75 69 46
71 93
70
27/116 24
72 76
115 91 primary
71 52 dining 9 9 11 11 26 26
25
79 45
78 97
81 12
21
77 52 113
nursery
22 48
111 24 entrance
84 38 41
80 87 20
10
88 85 43
99 36 108 104 39 37 2
5 5 1
74 82 94 105
53 82 95 40
107 108103 102
96 secondary/
visitors’
entrance primary
106 entrance
KEY
Community Used Spaces
First floor plan
Key Functions
Nursery
Primary
English
Humanities
void Maths
Modern Foreign Languages
57 52 IT/BS
55 55 60
61 Art/DT/Music
55
53 54 54 53 Science
55 62 63 6th Form
61
55 56 60
58 60 void 13 13 14 14
58 98
10
void
58 59 17
54
56 18
58 86 gallery 32/
31/113
114 33 19
58
53 52 35/110
94 109 15 15 16 16
(upper level)
58 58
68 28
Second floor plan
67
void
59
51 51
65 65
51
53 52
51
123
65
51 51 66
51
66
64 101
65
64
56 54 53
64
65
56
64
53 52
65 65 65
65 65
64 64
Cost
CABE Design Review Committee Cost Comment
Indicative costs per square metre align closely The CABE design review committee The design team’s cost estimate of the
with those proposed by the DfES. Excluding acknowledged that the all-through school 2FE/6FE scheme excluding abnormals is
the central space and balconies, the gross was a challenge different to the others, as just above the DfES Net Building Cost
area of the scheme is approximately 1200m2 it is relatively new and attracts debate guide. This is due to the additional area
below that required in the brief; this reduction over educational planning and policy. included for the central space. The gross
in space is achieved by excluding circulation They felt that the proposal has a clear area of the scheme proposed is
and some dining, staff and library area within concept and a relatively simple plan form, significantly above that assumed in the
the covered courtyard. When all the space in making a good generic model adaptable brief; some of the cost of this has been
the central area is measured the scheme is for other sites or client briefs, and capable allowed for within the Net Building Cost,
approximately 900m2 above the gross area of development by other architects into a but it has not been fully compensated for
allowed in the brief. high quality and effective learning by the lower cost per m2. In addition to this,
environment. The ‘heart’ of the school it has been notionally assessed that 12.5%
The scheme has very few abnormals. These was recognised as a central covered area of this over-provision will be funded by
total about 1% of the Gross Capital Cost which had potential as a dynamic and alternative sources. Unless this area is
(excluding loose furniture and equipment), impressive space. Some areas that the reduced, which will be difficult, further
and are due to the slightly sloping site. review committee thought should be additional sources of funding will be
further developed included the linkages needed. This scheme has had a significant
all through
between the primary and secondary parts, locational factor adjustment to normalise its
and the way the scale of the different costs, which could influence the
buildings worked for younger pupils. affordability of certain materials or
components (see also page 118).
one hundred and eleven

H00944 Afterword AW 5/2/04 7:33 pm Page 112
SBDU buddies
To join in design meetings, act as first point of contact and assist in

clarifying the brief with the project team, the following SBDU buddies
were linked to design teams:
Alex Freemantle Walters & Cohen (P1)

Alan Jones Cottrell + Vermeulen (P2)
Alison Wadsworth Marks Barfield (P3)
Richard Daniels Building Design Partnership (P4)
Chris Bissell Sarah Wigglesworth Architects (P5)
Gill Hawkins and

Ken Matthews MACE (RTKL) (S1)
Tamasin Dale Wilkinson Eyre Architects (S2)
Lucy Watson de Rijke Marsh Morgan (S3)
Beech Williamson Alsop Architects (S4)
Russell Symes Penoyre & Prasad Architects (S5)
Drawing by Kryston Martin,
St Francis of Assisi RC Primary School,
Tony Butler Feilden Clegg Bradley (all-through) Kensington and Chelsea
one hundred and twelve

H00944 Afterword AW 5/2/04 7:33 pm Page 113
afterword
Next steps Of course thinking on design does not and
should not stand still. As we said in the The school we’d like is:
The exemplar designs were launched in introduction, the exemplars are part of a
February 2004, when Wave 1 of the Building wealth of existing inspiring school design A beautiful school
Schools for the Future programme was work. The exemplars are not universal with glass dome roofs to let in the light,
announced. Further publicity will occur as solutions and need to be adapted and uncluttered classrooms and brightly
future waves are announced and other developed to suit a school’s specific ethos coloured walls.
milestones achieved. and site. In a few years’ time we may need to
create a new wave of exemplars to build on A comfortable school
Use of the exemplar designs is free to LEAs feedback from built versions of the original with sofas and beanbags, cushions on
and other promoters of schools, since designs. the floors, tables that don’t scrape our
copyright of all the designs rests with the knees, blinds that keep out the sun, and
DfES. We hope that many of the ideas will be The users quiet rooms where we can chill out.
taken up and developed into finished school
buildings. As the designs are developed Perhaps we should let children have the last A safe school
further, it is important that we exchange word. Not surprisingly, surveys have found with swipe cards for the school gates,
thoughts on any emerging issues and that they are very interested in how schools anti-bully alarms, first aid classes and
problems, and we will be looking at how we are designed. For example, these extracts someone to talk to about our problems.
can publicise the exemplars during this time. from the Children’s Manifesto list some of the
An important communications tool will be our features they would like, and which we hope A school without walls
website – www.teachernet.gov.uk/exemplars to help them achieve. so that we can go outside to learn, with
– which will detail progress with the designs. animals to look after and wild gardens to
It will also cover feedback on post-occupancy explore.
evaluations.
At the school we’d like, we’d have:
Drinking water in every classroom; clean
toilets that lock; large lockers to store
our things; and a swimming pool.
The Children’s Manifesto was first published

in the Guardian on 5 June 2001.
It is a distillation of the views of

15,000 children taken in a survey called
‘The School I’d Like’.
one hundred and thirteen

H00944 Comparison AW 5/2/04 7:34 pm Page 114
Primary Exemplar Core Room Schedules Compared

Schedule of accommodation Exemplar design areas
required in core brief
Feilden
Walters Cottrell Clegg
and + Marks Sarah Bradley
average total brief number Cohen Vermeulen Barfield BDP Wigglesworth (primary
area (m2) area (m2) of rooms (P1) (P2) (P3) (P4) (P5) areas)
Nursery
Nursery playroom (supplementary) 63 63 1 67 63 60 61 66 69
Class storage (supplementary) 4 8 2 8 8 6 8 8 4
Small group room (SENco) 12 12 1 12 12 10 22 13 10
cloakrooms/lunch box storage (supp.) 4 4 1 4 3 2 5 * 4
Nursery toilets/hygiene facilities (supp.) 5 15 3 21 14 14 15 13 14
Reception
Reception class 63 126 2 124 126 118 124 122 124
Class storage 3 6 2 4 6 6 8 6 *
cloakrooms/lunchbox storage 3 6 2 6 5 3 7 6 7
Reception toilets 4 12 3 13 14 9 12 11 10
Infant Y1 and Y2
Infant classbase 57 228 4 224 228 230 228 228 226
Class storage 2 6 4 6 6 6 6 6 6
Small group room 8 8 1 8 8 16 8 8 10
specialist store: numeracy 8 8 1 8 8 18 8 8 20
cloakrooms/lunchbox storage 3 12 4 12 10 12 12 12 14
Pupil toilets 3 20 6 18 24 20 22 20 20
Junior Y3 and Y4
Junior classbase 57 228 4 224 228 224 228 227 228
Class storage 2 6 4 6 6 6 6 6 6
Small group room 8 8 1 8 8 16 8 8 10
specialist store: literacy 8 8 1 8 8 16 8 8 20
lockers/cloakrooms/lunchbox storage 3 12 4 12 10 12 12 12 14
Pupil toilets 3 20 6 18 24 20 22 20 34
Junior Y5 and Y6
Junior classbase 57 228 4 124 128 124 128 128 128
Class storage 2 6 4 6 6 6 6 6 6
Small group room 8 8 1 8 8 16 8 8 10
specialist store: art/science 8 8 1 8 8 8 8 5 20
lockers/cloakrooms/lunchbox storage 3 12 4 12 10 12 12 12 14
Pupil toilets 3 20 6 18 24 20 22 20 39
Central Resources
Library resource centre 42 42 1 42 56 43 52 78 42
ICT suite 38 38 1 - 24 37 31 * 13
ICT technician/server 5 5 1 4 5 8 5 6 4
Creative space (food/D&T/science/art) 38 38 1 25 38 39 36 38 42
Main hall (also used for dining) 180 180 1 185 180 188 188 185 185
Chair store (off hall) 12 12 1 11 10 4 12 12 12
Staging/appliance store (off hall) 8 8 1 12 7 5 8 7 8
PE store (off hall) 12 12 1 11 10 8 12 11 12
PE store (external) 4 4 1 4 4 6 4 4 **
Studio (small hall) 54 54 1 54 54 103 54 54 54
Changing rooms (supplementary) 12 24 2 29 24 26 24 24 28
Kitchen/servery 56 56 1 55 57 53 63 59 **
Staff and Administration

Head's office 8 8 1 8 20 12 9 8 16
Meeting room 12 12 1 12 * 12 12 12 **
Senior management office 8 8 1 8 8 7 9 7 8
Staff room 57 57 1 59 57 58 58 56 **
Copier/reprographics 4 8 2 10 8 8 9 9 **
Central stock 8 8 1 2 9 6 8 8 8
Caretaker’s office/maintenance store 8 8 1 8 12 5 8 6 **
Sick bay 5 5 1 5 * 5 5 * 5
General office 12 12 1 20 17 12 11 12 12
Entrance/reception 5 5 1 29 * 20 6 20 9
Interview/social services 8 8 1 6 8 7 8 8 14
MI/therapist room 12 12 1 12 17 10 12 12 14
Parents/community room (supp.) 12 12 1 14 12 12 12 13 14
Accessible toilet (visitors) 5 5 1 4 6 3 5 4 **
Staff toilets 3 12 4 14 16 6 12 12 **
Other 179
Cleaners’ stores 2 8 4 7 3 7 4 **
Circulation 376 279 371 365 294 360 376
Plant 39 22 16 34 31 18 **
Partitions 78 35 104 79 75 107 78
Area Subtotals
basic teaching 886 821 872 872 875 843 861
halls 234 239 234 291 242 239 239
learning resources 78 78 92 99 97 115 82
storage 150 143 137 139 153 139 167
staff and administration 139 172 139 158 143 150 81
supplementary net area 111 301 110 105 109 111 119
non-net 653 497 666 621 573 646 571
net area 1598 1753 1584 1664 1619 1597 1549
gross area 2250 2249 2250 2285 2192 2244 2120

net area as a percentage of gross area 71% 78% 70% 73% 74% 71% 73%
* included in other area

** shared with secondary
one hundred and fourteen

area comparison
These pages set out the schedule of The original schedules, in line with the revision Marks Barfield have enhanced their studio
accommodation in the primary and secondary of BB82 current at the time, were based on the space to provide a space large enough to be
briefs, and compare the ‘as designed’ areas of net area being up to 73% of the gross area. As a permanent dining area, and to make up for
each space with the core brief for each the designs progressed, the exemplar projects the main hall being separate. The area of
scheme. The core brief for the ‘all-through’ and other evidence suggested that a higher Building Design Partnership’s circulation is low
school was simply the primary and secondary level of non-net area would be required to allow as much of this is on the external play-decks,
schedules together on the same site, although suitable provision for: although an enclosed option is available (see
economies could be made in areas such as page 17).
administration and caretaking facilities. • toilets suitable for the disabled, with an
accessible cubicle in any set of pupils’ Secondary School Areas
Areas can be hard to measure precisely in toilets; Storage for subjects such as Design and
designs at this stage, but the comparative • circulation, including corridors and lifts Technology and music is important, and has
schedules listed here show that the area of appropriate to an inclusive school; been under-provided by some secondary
individual rooms required in the core brief has • plant and similar area that may increase to design teams.
been satisfied by all the designs in most allow sustainable solutions such as
respects. Storage is the only area under- chimneys; The main hall is replaced by a smaller central
provided by most design teams, so this • internal walls that may need to be wider to open plan area in de Rijke Marsh Morgan’s
shortfall would need to be addressed in later suit the requirements of BB93, or to scheme, but could be augmented by
design stages. provide thermal mass. adjacent circulation area. The area of their
partitions is also low, because each cluster
The schedules also help to identify where The allowance for non-net area was therefore within the ‘dura’ effectively has external walls.
some of the designs would need further work, increased such that net area was assumed to
and where they have gained extra space be around 70% of gross. This has increased The dining area in Wilkinson Eyre’s design is
within the budget. the guidance gross area and is reflected in smaller than required, but much more area is
the latest revision of the Area Guidelines for provided in the adjacent ‘agora’. Similarly, the
Figures in italics are ‘non-net’ and are more Schools, in the form of Building Bulletins 98 circulation is low in this design as so much of
variable as, except for kitchens, there is no and 99, available on the web and due to be this is in the external ‘agora’.
minimum requirement for them in the brief. published later in 2004.
For net areas, figures in red indicate areas All Through School Areas
that are more than 10% below that required BB98 and 99 also include a further increase The schedule of the all through school is
in the brief, and figures in blue those at least in the total net areas recommended, for compared to both the primary and secondary
10% above. In the ‘number of rooms’ example to accommodate slightly larger brief. However it should be noted that many
column, the timetabled rooms in the practical areas for inclusive schools and ICT primary non-teaching elements are shared
secondary school brief are highlighted in bold. in teaching spaces such as laboratories. with the secondary school, so the totals are
not comparable in all respects.
Gross Area Primary School Areas
The overall area of both core schedules was The brief included 111m2 of supplementary The final net area related to the brief is lower
based on the guidance in the draft revision of area, over and above the guidelines, to than the sum of the primary and secondary
Building Bulletin 82: Area Guidelines for accommodate the nursery, changing rooms schools by around 280m2, since economies
Schools (BB82), available on the web at the and parents/community room – although have been made through sharing some core
time. This was broadly equivalent to the some of the latter spaces might be achieved facilities. However this is made up for by
guidance gross area originally published in within the recent enhancements to the 1181m2 within the central covered courtyard
BB82 in 1996, plus a further 10% in the guideline gross area. being additional to those areas used for
11 to 18 secondary brief and 15% in the circulation, dining, library or staff social space.
primary brief. In the knowledge that demand for ICT suites About an eighth of this supplementary area is
may recede in the future, most primary design identified in the cost plan as a ‘delight’.
In practice, the ‘constant’ required in any teams have not provided enough area for this
school for the core facilities, such as the space, as it is difficult to accommodate 15
hall, office and head’s office, is more than computers in less than 38m2. Walters and
BB82 + 10%, while the area required for Cohen have not included this space, but
each pupil, particularly the sixth form, is provide an extra 190m2 of supplementary area.
somewhat less.
one hundred and fifteen

Secondary Exemplar Core Room Schedules Compared

required in core brief Feilden
Alsop Penoyre Clegg
Wilkinson (Model 4: and Bradley
average total brief number Mace Eyre dRMM Site E) Prasad (secondary
area (m2) area (m2) of rooms (S1) (S2) (S3) (S4) (S5) areas)
English
Classrooms 59 413 7 413 410 420 420 413 413
Storage general teaching 3 5 2 5 31 18 10 5 5
Staff work room (shared) 28 14 0.5 14 13 14 14 14 14
Head of Year office 8 8 1 8 * 8 8 8 8
Modern Foreign Languages

Classrooms 59 295 5 295 365 300 300 295 295
Seminar room 42 42 1 42 45 42 43 42 42
Small group room (foreign lang. asst) 9 9 1 9 11 9 9 10 9
Humanities
Classrooms 59 413 7 413 486 420 420 413 413
Seminar room 42 42 1 42 84 42 42 42 42
Small group room 9 9 1 9 11 9 9 10 9
Information Technology/Business Studies

Classrooms 59 177 3 177 178 180 180 177 177
IT Rooms 76 152 2 124 152 152 161 152 152
ICT technician 8 8 1 8 5 8 8 8 8
Server 6 6 1 6 5 6 8 6 6
Storage general teaching/IT 3 5 2 11 14 5 3 5 5
Maths
Classrooms 59 354 6 354 386 360 360 354 354
Seminar room 42 42 1 42 0 42 43 42 42
Small group room 9 9 1 14 11 9 9 10 9
Science
Science Laboratories 85 845 10 843 934 850 850 845 845
Science prep room 127 127 1 123 148 120 124 127 127
Chemical store 3 3 1 3 * 3 5 3 3
Office 8 8 1 9 * 8 10 8 8
Design and Technology

Food room 100 100 1 91 112 100 97 100 82
Food prep room 12 12 1 13 * 12 12 13 12
Multi-materials workshop
(incl heat bay or CAD/CAM) 111 222 2 217 218 222 222 234 222
Multi-materials prep room 50 50 1 47 45 50 76 50 55
Electronics control technology 90 90 1 80 100 90 88 90 81
Constructional textiles 85 85 1 91 88 85 84 85 83
Graphics room 85 85 1 80 90 85 84 85 81
Design resource area 52 52 1 52 42 52 43 57 49
Storage practical 6 54 9 53 27 54 36 54 32
Office 8 8 1 8 * 8 8 14 8
Art
Textiles art room 106 106 1 106 123 106 106 109 106
3D art room 106 106 1 113 120 106 105 103 106
Kiln room 4 4 1 4 * 4 8 7 4
General art room 90 90 1 92 84 90 89 92 83
Darkroom 12 12 1 7 * 12 9 12 10
Small group room 9 9 1 9 11 9 13 8 0
Storage practical 6 36 6 44 31 36 42 36 32
Office 8 8 1 7 * 8 8 8 8
Music and Drama

Music recital 85 85 1 85 90 85 86 85 79
Music classroom 68 68 1 67 73 65 68 68 71
Music group/practice rooms 7 42 6 35 56 42 42 43 42
Music ensemble room 20 20 1 20 29 20 20 21 20
Recording/control room 12 12 1 12 29 12 12 15 12
Drama studio 90 90 1 90 108 90 89 92 91
Instrument store 10 10 1 10 * 10 10 10 6
Storage music/drama 6 18 3 17 * 18 12 17 19
Staff work room (shared) 28 14 0.5 14 * 14 14 14 10
Office 8 8 1 8 * 8 8 10 8
one hundred and sixteen

Secondary Exemplar Core Room Schedules Compared

required in core brief Feilden
Alsop Penoyre Clegg
Wilkinson (Model 4: and Bradley
average total brief number Mace Eyre dRMM Site E) Prasad (secondary
area (m2) area (m2) of rooms (S1) (S2) (S3) (S4) (S5) areas)
Physical Education
Four-court sports hall 594 594 1 594 613 623 598 594 594
PE store 72 72 1 72 91 72 72 72 72
Activity studio 144 144 1 144 124 177 130 144 143
PE store 15 15 1 15 * 33 15 15 14
External store 10 10 1 10 * 10 10 10 8
Staff work room (shared) 28 14 0.5 14 * 14 17 14 13
Office 8 8 1 8 * 8 8 11 12
Pupil changing rooms and showers 78 156 2 145 124 156 154 156 134
PE staff or accessible shower/toilet 6 12 2 12 * 12 12 12 14
Central Resources
Main hall 294 294 1 294 301 225 310 294 300
Chair store 21 21 1 21 23 28 24 20 *
Secure/exam/community stores 12 24 2 24 15 24 24 22 17
Library resource centre and careers 162 162 1 162 325 162 162 184 162
Sixth form study area 111 111 1 111 105 111 111 111 119
Small group room 9 9 1 9 7 9 9 9 9
Storage library 3 3 1 3 * 3 7 3 3
Central stock store 12 12 1 12 * 12 3 12 12
Librarian 12 12 1 12 * 12 16 12 12
Sixth form social 122 122 1 123 120 122 121 125 145
Inclusion Support Suite

SEN therapy/MI room 20 20 1 20 36 20 17 20 19
SEN case conference/tutorial 18 18 1 18 7 18 17 18 16
SENco/wheelchair/appliances 12 12 1 12 8 12 12 12 13
SENco office 8 8 1 8 7 8 6 8 9
Hygiene room 12 12 1 12 * 12 6 13 8
Administration and Catering

Head’s office 12 12 1 12 19 12 15 12 19
Meeting room 15 15 1 27 13 14 16 15 12
Senior management offices 8 24 3 24 58 24 41 24 24
Other offices 8 24 3 24 * 8 * 24 24
General office 56 56 1 56 249 56 56 56 74
Sick bay 6 6 1 6 7 6 6 6 22
Entrance/reception 12 12 1 12 * 12 14 12 14
Accessible toilet and shower (visitors) 12 12 1 13 58 12 9 12 13
Staff room (social) 69 69 1 69 * 69 72 69 126
Reprographics 34 34 1 34 * 34 38 34 42
Dining Area 288 288 1 289 184 288 289 288 288
Kitchen (incl staff and stores) 129 129 1 129 114 129 130 123 157
Other
Caretaker’s office 8 8 1 9 15 8 6 7 8
Maintenance store 13 13 1 15 * 13 * 14 12
Cleaners' stores 2 12 8 12 28 12 * 14 *
Lockers for personal storage 81 varies 50 90 * 55 92 81
Pupil toilets (incl. accessible cubicles) 3 176 varies 175 212 247 147 172 266
Staff toilets 4 46 varies * * 56 * 47 *
Circulation 1948 - 2125 1463 1712 1699 2103 1944
Plant 172 - 234 166 150 208 92 24
Partitions 318 - 447 191 362 387 272
Area Subtotals
basic teaching 3900 3856 4246 3931 3936 3916 3888
halls 1032 1032 1038 1025 1038 1032 1037
learning resources 498 491 680 498 490 535 489
storage 610 592 620 567 581 621 535
staff and administration 514 532 473 497 521 528 620
dining and social 410 411 304 410 410 413 433
supplementary net area 0 0 0 0 0 0 1181

non-net 2987 3298 2142 2683 2735 3123 2838
net area 6963 6914 7361 6927 6976 7044 8154
gross area 9950 10211 9503 9609 9711 10167 10992

net area as a percentage of gross area 70% 68% 77% 72% 72% 69% 74%
207 is
abnormals
* included in other area
one hundred and seventeen

Primary Schools Design Teams
2FE Primary School with Revised Standards* Walters Cottrell + Marks Sarah
26 FTE Nursery Exemplar Design and Cohen Vermeulen Barfield BDP Wigglesworth
Brief June 2003 (P1) (P2) (P3) (P4) (P5)
Area – Gross Floor Area 2250 2,249 2,250 2,285 2,192 2,244
99.96% 100.00% 101.56% 97.42% 99.73%
Cost/m at 4th QTR 2003
2
1205 1,205 1,167 1,134 1,294 1,199
100.00% 96.85% 94.07% 107.39% 99.50%
Net Building Cost 2,711,250 2,710,045 2,625,750 2,591,190 2,836,448 2,690,556
Deviation -1,205 -85,500 -120,060 125,198 -20,694
% Deviation 0 -3 -4 5 -1
Site Works/m2 217 215 139 221 96 218
Building Cost 3,199,275 3,193,580 2,938,500 3,096,175 3,046,880 3,179,748
Deviation -5,695 -260,775 -103,100 -152,395 -19,527
% Deviation 0 -8 -3 -5 -1
Fees/m2 213 213 195 203 209 213
Capital Cost Subtotal 3,679,166 3,672,617 3,377,250 3,560,030 3,505,008 3,657,720
Deviation -6,549 -301,916 -119,136 -174,158 -21,446
% Deviation 0 -8 -3 -5 -1
Loose Furniture and Equipment/m2 156 156 170 77 172 176
Total Capital Cost 4,029,806 4,023,461 3,759,750 3,735,975 3,882,032 4,052,664
Deviation -6,345 -270,056 -293,831 -147,774 22,858
% Deviation 0 -7 -7 -4 1
Abnormals allowance for core
design site locations Site Specific 113 170 17 338 63
Total Capital Cost plus abnormals 4,029,806 4,277,598 4,142,250 3,774,820 4,622,928 4,194,036
Deviation 247,792 112,444 -254,986 593,122 164,230
Secondary Schools Design Teams
1150 pupil Secondary School Revised Standards* Wilkinson Alsop Penoyre

(6FE + 250 sixth form) Exemplar Design Mace Eyre dRMM (Model 4: Site E) and Prasad
Brief June 2003 (S1) (S2) (S3) (S4) (S5)
Area – Gross Floor Area 9950 10,211 9,503 9,609 9,711 9,960
102.62% 95.51% 96.57% 97.60% 100.10%
Cost/m at 4th QTR 2003
2
1215 1,211 1,187 1,201 1,234 1,165
99.67% 97.70% 98.85% 101.56% 95.88%
Net Building Cost 12,089,250 12,365,521 11,280,061 11,540,409 11,983,374 11,603,400
Deviation 276,271 -809,189 -548,841 -105,876 -485,850
% Deviation 2 -7 -5 -1 -4
Site Works/m 2
158 84 169 180 124 153
Building Cost 13,660,853 13,223,245 12,886,068 13,270,029 13,187,538 13,127,280
Deviation -437,608 -774,785 -390,824 -473,315 -533,573
% Deviation -3 -6 -3 -3 -4
Fees/m 2
178 168 176 180 177 171
Capital Cost Subtotal 15,436,763 14,938,693 14,558,596 14,999,649 14,906,385 14,830,440
Deviation -498,070 -878,167 -437,114 -530,378 -606,323
% Deviation -3 -6 -3 -3 -4
Loose Furniture and Equipment/m 2
177 170 158 161 163 174
Total Capital Cost 17,197,913 16,674,563 16,060,070 16,546,698 16,489,278 16,563,480
Deviation -523,350 -1,137,843 -651,215 -708,635 -634,433
% Deviation -3 -7 -4 -4 -4
Abnormals allowance for core
design site locations Site Specific 0 247 141 53 169
Total Capital Cost plus abnormals 17,197,913 16,674,563 18,407,311 17,901,567 17,003,961 18,246,720
Deviation -523,350 1,209,398 703,654 -193,952 1,048,807
All Through School Design Team
2FE Primary School with 26 FTE Nursery Revised Standards* Feilden

and 1150 pupil Secondary School Exemplar Design Clegg
(6FE + 250 sixth form) Brief June 2003 Bradley (A1)
Area – Gross Floor Area 12,200 13,112

107.48%
Cost/m2 at 4th QTR 2003 1215 1,145
94.24%
Net Building Cost 14,823,000 15,013,240
Deviation 190,240
% Deviation 1
Site Works/m 2
158 137
Building Cost 16,749,990 16,809,584
Deviation 59,594
% Deviation 0
Fees/m 2
178 167
Capital Cost Subtotal 18,927,489 18,999,288
Deviation 71,799
% Deviation 0
Note:
Loose Furniture and Equipment/m 2
173 146 * Some figures vary due to rounding
Total Capital Cost 21,038,089 20,913,640
Deviation -124,449
% Deviation -1
Abnormals allowance for core A limited number of copies of the design team
design site locations Site Specific 20 reports have been published along with CD versions.
Total Capital Cost plus abnormals 21,038,089 21,175,880 Details of how these can be obtained are on the
Deviation 137,791 website www.teachernet.gov.uk/exemplars
one hundred and eighteen

cost comparison
Design Team Estimates factors for financial year 2003-2004. These 4th Quarter 2003 index is still indicative.
location factors are based upon figures
The costs provided by the design teams are produced by the Building Cost Information In response to issues which became apparent
based upon schemes which have been taken Service (BCIS) and issued by the Royal during the exemplar design process, a
to RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Institution of Chartered Surveyors. number of adjustments were made to the Net
Stage C, Outline Proposals. The costs Building Cost that had previously been stated
provided are therefore budget estimates, The Net Building Cost is the estimated cost as excluded in the Practice Note and the
based on the teams’ previous projects using for the building net of external influences Primary School benchmark.
generic components or material types. considered to be beyond the designer’s
control, such as a restricted site or noise ICT infrastructure cabling is now included
In arriving at these estimates the teams have pollution. within the Net Building Cost. However, ICT
assumed a single lump sum contract. equipment is still excluded.
However, some other assumptions and Site works are areas outside the building
exclusions have been made, and these are envelope, such as access roads, car parking Within the Practice Note the allowance for
shown in the Design Team Reports. and landscaping. These are directly affected fixed and loose furniture, fittings and
by the site area onto which the school is to equipment (excluding ICT) was indicated as
The next stage of design development is the be placed. £1800 per pupil, whilst the Primary School
detailed stage, when site implications are benchmark assumed £1000 per pupil. From
further identified and components and Fees are assumed to be 13% for secondary this total an allowance was included within
material specifics decided upon, aiming to and all-through schools, in accordance with the Net Building Cost under a heading of
maintain the original concept as best as the DfES Practice Note Information on Costs fittings and furnishings, with a corresponding
possible. During this detailed design stage, in and Performance Data (ref. DfES/0288/2003), reduction in the loose furniture and equipment
order to keep the scheme within the original and 15% for primary schools. allowance to balance the figures. After
budget estimate clients will need to make discussion with design teams, the amount
decisions, some of which may be difficult, on Loose furniture and equipment is the balance allowed within the Net Building Cost for
the prioritisation of design issues and of £1800 per secondary pupil (see DfES fittings and furnishings was increased
selection of materials. Practice Note DfES/0288/2003) and £1000 marginally.
per primary pupil. This has not been added to
In arriving at a location factor of 1 (as the fixed furniture and fittings allowance within An increase of 1% was made to the previous
discussed later), the design teams had to the Net Building Cost (see Adjustments to allowance for BB93 to reflect current ongoing
adjust their cost figures to differing degrees. Practice Note). The £1800 per pupil includes research.
This adjustment is made to the whole an allowance for start-up items, estimated at
scheme, rather than to individual components £400, but different LEAs will have different
or materials. These individual items will in thresholds for start-up items and capital. Where Area Impacts on Costs
practice be affected to different extents, and
in some cases alternatives may need to be Abnormals are estimated costs of the impact Two of the design teams attempted to
considered. on the scheme of external influences not provide extra area within the allowable costs,
allowed for within the Net Building Cost or but ended up exceeding the budget to some
within normal site works allowances. extent. Although many users of the designs
Comparative Tables may be prepared to pay this excess and reap
Within the main reports for each of the the benefit of the additional area, there may
The cost comparison tables opposite show schemes the design teams have included a be other supplementary areas, also requiring
how each of the design teams has balanced list of ‘delights’. These are items beyond the increased funding, that the extra area in these
the Net Building Cost by varying the mix exemplar brief which the designers believe designs could not accommodate.
between cost per m2 and Gross Floor Area. would further enhance their schemes if
funding was available. The central courtyard shown in Feilden Clegg
The comparison tables showing the design Bradley’s scheme could be reduced in size,
team estimates are divided into a number of and the cost of this 2% excess is currently
headings so that the build-up of each Adjustments to Practice Note identified as a ‘delight’. The concept would
scheme’s estimated costs can be compared DfES/0288/2003 (Secondary Schools) still stand but this would still leave a 1%
to the DfES cost guidelines. To allow overspend on the Net Building Cost. Similarly,
comparison, the design teams were provided The cost per m2 referred to in the tables has Mace’s design has a 2% excess which will be
with a base date of 4th Quarter 2003 and a been updated to reflect more recently difficult to design out.
location factor of 1, using the DfES location published DTI PUBSEC indices, of which the
one hundred and nineteen

acknowledgments to individuals
Our thanks to the many from the organisations listed on page two and The Evaluation Panel carried out short listing, final evaluation and selection
others who supported the Exemplar Designs process. We would like for teams to enter into contract. In addition to those drawn from the
to thank the following individuals who served in a range of capacities Working Group, procurement advice was given by Neil Oxley of DfES –
on a number of groups that helped progress the Exemplar Designs Procurement Advisor and Charles McSweeney of Cyril Sweet – Technical
along the way. Advisor. A ‘Forum’ was created from this group, with the additions of Paul
Hyett of RIBA and Russell Symes of SBDU, that reviewed progress at three
The project progress was overseen by a Working Group that met five interim and one final progress meeting, where the schemes were presented
times through the programme and supported various areas of work by the teams.
during the procurement and contract stages:
The Primary Focus Group, drawn from the Working Group and others,
Andy Beard 1 Andrew Beard Architect Ltd helped develop the brief. They also reviewed the designs and commented
Andy Gates DfES – ICT in Schools at completion of the project. Some of the headteachers also received the
Andy Thompson 1 DfES – SBDU teams at their school for visits. Others who joined this group included:
Caroline Fraser 2 CABE – Enabling Directorate
David Johnson 3 Fair Oak High School (SHA) Amanda Dennison Millennium Primary School
David Welch 4 Lewisham County Council Chris French 5 Essex County Council
Deryn Harvey 4 DfES – Innovations Unit Christine Smith Walton Holymoorside Primary School
Esther Kurland Greater London Authority Claire Axten Brookside Community Primary School
Hilary Cottam Design Council Frances McGregor Kings Avenue Primary School
Mark Barry Zurich Municipal Jan Horne Jubilee Primary School
Martin Goss Mtech Jane Nicholson Head Teacher – St Chad’s Primary School
Martin Lipson 4ps John Procter 5 Herts County Council
Max Galla DfES – Schools Workforce Unit John Waldron 5 Architecture PLB
Mike Thirkell 4 Ofsted Peter Candlin 5 DfES – Education Advisor
Mukund Patel 1 DfES – SBDU Shirley Turner 5 Hants County Council
Paul Hyett Ryders HKS – as RIBA President Stuart Hayter Alfred Salter Primary School
Peter Stanton-Ife DfES – BSF Director Sue Roach Victoria Dock Primary School
Peter Wain Becta Sue Simcock Bursar – St Chad’s Primary School
Richard Brown Greater London Authority Valerie Bragg 5 RIBA – Client Forum
Richard Ogden Procurement Specialist Consultant Vicky Morton Temple Primary School
Richard Pietrasik Becta
Robert Osborne 2 PfS The Secondary Focus Group was joined by others including:
Sharon Wright 2 School Works
Shelagh Wright 2 Sorrell Foundation Alison Banks Chafford Hundred Campus Schools
Toby Salt 4 DfES – Innovations Unit Angela Armytage Yewlands School
Chris Tweedale DfES – Schools Workforce Unit
Hugh Howe Fir Vale School
Sir Iain Hall Parrs Wood Technology College
Ian Johncock Greenwich Council
Paul Kelly Monkseaton Community High School
Peter Smith Blyth Community College
KEY
Roger Conibear Denbigh School
1. Also in Evaluation Panel, Forum, Primary and Secondary Focus Groups
2. Also in Evaluation Panel and Forum Dame Ruth Robins Jews Free School
3. Also in Evaluation Panel, Forum and Secondary Focus Groups
Steve Morrison Kingsdale School
4. Also in Primary and Secondary Focus Groups
5. Also in Secondary Focus Group Wendy Parmley Archbishop Michael Ramsey Technology College
one hundred and twenty

H00944 Inside Cover a/w 5/2/04 4:11 pm Page 1
H00944 Compendium Cover 5/2/04 3:58 pm Page 1

Schools For The Future - Exemplar Designs Compendium

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Schools For The Future - Exemplar Designs Compendium

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

H00944 Compendium Cover 5/2/04 4:07 pm Page 1

schools for the

Primary Exemplar Key Secondary Exemplar Key

1 Nursery playroom 51 English classroom 97 Library resource centre and

exemplar designs concepts and ideas

Secondary Heads Association (SHA)

Alison Banks Chafford Hundred Campus Schools Feilden Clegg Bradley

The core team in SBDU included:

Mukund Patel – Head of SBDU

exemplar designs concepts and ideas

Drawing by: a pupil at Wrockwardine Junior School, Telford and Wrekin

Bottom left: Top right:

Penoyre and Prasad

The ‘deck’ level of

Mace involved pupils

Alsop’s inner city

The secondary school sports hall and primary

Like all the primary

However, there may

schools for today

Penoyre and with related social

ideas for tomorrow

Marks Barfield offers doors (computer

Wilkinson Eyre’s number around any

their multi-storey city

Alsop use a multi-

Cottrell + Vermeulen moving the wall

de Rijke Marsh areas, although

Building Design usefully encloses

uses a hexagonal unusable corners,

Left: Penoyre and

Those design teams that were given confined

Sarah Wigglesworth’s a double façade, or

daylight collection via rooflights

The Mace design Similarly, Walters

Wilkinson Eyre’s • vegetation reduces

This section summarises the requirements of the exemplar design

The core exemplar primary school designs Illustrations in this

the design could be adapted to suit one or provide external

The demands of workforce reform are

The design teams collated input and

Extended School provision, over and above A glazed street in

• functionality in use, or fitness for purpose,

The two contradictory requirements of

Heating methods have been carefully

Environmental performance has been

have commented on the designs and Montessori College

Outdoor classrooms Library in the heart of the school

exemplar primary school design

Introduction Design Philosophy

The driving force behind our design for an The heart

Ground floor plan of First floor plan

bus stop cycle racks

For key to plans

Classrooms ICT within the central space. On narrower sites

How the classroom Community use – Organisation

49m2 classrooms 57m2 classrooms 63m2 classrooms

Verandah and Calm, smaller Wet play area

exemplar primary school design

Introduction To this end we created a participation manual.

this starting point, we believe the client can

2FE (core) plan