Situated on a highly sensitive greenfield site at the edge of the village, this new-build school was designed to merge into the surrounding landscape, nestling into the slope to the north and sheltering discreetly behind a new earth bund to the south. In keeping with a passive environmental approach, the school is oriented to maximise natural ventilation and ensure even daylight levels throughout.
Flexibility was pivotal to the design, with scope for the Main Hall and its support facilities to be independently accessed to allow external events – children’s parties, amateur dramatics, or dance classes – to take place without admission to the rest of the school.
The design offers a simple and elegant response to the school’s practical and organisational needs. A top lit central ‘street’ links all of the classrooms and provides opportunities for display and exhibition, enhancing the idea of the school as a community.