Project Value: £570,000

Status: Completed

Client: Newbridge Preparatory School

This design for four new classrooms and a multi-use hall for Newbridge Preparatory School in Wolverhampton replaces an existing temporary classroom with an inviting, contemporary and inspirational learning environment for the school. The design approach takes precedent from the existing Victorian buildings nearby, and by developing the concept of creating a pavilion, within the mature landscape.

The appearance of the proposed building is broken down into segments of varying height and size, to minimise the overall visual impact to its setting, and to create a dialogue with the landscape. Materials have been chosen specifically to relate to the existing fabric. Larch cladding responds to the surrounding woodland as well as providing a warm texture to the proposed building.

The rational design has a linear arrangement to minimise encroachment into the landscape, with a wide top lit circulation space located at the rear of the teaching spaces enabling each classroom to have a view over the landscaped school grounds. Natural daylight has been exploited extensively, the classrooms, each having a southerly aspect and high level windows bringing light into the depth of the spaces. The positions of the openings in the spaces lend themselves to a natural ventilation strategy being adopted.