Brief

To design, plan and manage the expansion of St. John XXIII Primary School from 1FE to 2FE.

Solution

To create the required space we completed demolition works and designed a two storey new build, whilst retaining the original 1960s school. The new site comfortably accommodates 2FE with 446 students enrolled at the School. Owing to the school’s prominent location the design includes a striking colourful facade, made up of 2,000 ceramic rods in six custom colours, unique to UK architecture. The design also incorporates a large glass corner feature, creating an impressive and prominent school identity, visible from the street.

The design further includes multiple sustainable and environmental systems including low energy systems such as, energy saving lights, powered by photovoltaic panels, which, after five years, will break even from the initial cost, equating to free energy for the school. The low carbon new school building incorporates super-insulation, high efficiency boilers, solar thermal, under floor heating, heat recovery, within the ventilation systems, and heat pump technologies. Thus ensuring user comfort, whilst providing highly efficient, cost saving solutions.