Monthly Archives: May 2016

Kingswood School Boarding House, Bath

May 10, 2016 by Ben Smith

Background

The brief was to create a new, two-storey boarding house with accommodation for 43 boarding pupils, ancillary accommodation and flats for the Housemaster and his assistant.

Design

The building was designed to require both low maintenance and low energy during its life. The detailing for heat retention is therefore important to avoid draughts and heat through cold bridges; it has also been designed to be fully accessible to the disabled, with door openings sized for easy wheelchair access.

The design includes extensive external work in the vicinity of the building to complement it.

Technical

The structural frame of the building comprises load-bearing masonry with beam and block floors throughout for sound attenuation between rooms; roof is zinc standing seam and the external cedar cladding on the walls is left untreated to weather to a silver-grey colour. Externally the terrace out from the common room is paved, with areas of grass disturbed during construction re-seeded.

Awards

  • Finalist, Best Educational Building, LABC Building Excellence Awards 2015

Designed by:  George Batterham,  Anja Haubold

Built by:  Rydon South West 

 

This gallery contains 21 photos

Bishop Road

May 8, 2016 by Ben Smith

Background

Bishop Road Primary is a highly successful school, and needed to expand from 720 to 840 places due to its popularity – or to accommodate four extra classrooms.

Design

By building a new library and administration facility at the front of the school, this enabled us to release sufficient space for the 4 extra classrooms to be accommodated within the existing school buildings.

Technical

The modern clean lines of the whole library element hover over a stone and glass base, creating a  light, open and welcoming new entrance.  The overall look gives the school a ‘street presence’, signifying the more accessible and all-embracing role that the school has within the community.

Awards

  • Winner, Bristol Civic Society Design Award 2015

Designed by: George Batterham, Ben Smith

Built by: Willmott Dixon

This gallery contains 22 photos

Laurel Barn, Mells

May 7, 2016 by Ben Smith

Background

The clients both work from home and wanted to have both a workspace and place to live with their young family. These elements are unified by means of a courtyard design.

Design

The main design concept was to create a series of three buildings built around a courtyard and to subdivide the site; one is an oak-framed open plan space for living on the southern part of the site, with views out across the fields; one is an enclosed, solid two-storey masonry element for sleeping accommodation on the west side and the final one, to the north of the courtyard, for work use.

Technical

The construction is based on a timber balloon frame which is highly insulated and sealed for airtightness. The roof is a carpentry-rafter ed solution with plywood bracing.

With its untreated cedar boarding , mill finish zinc roof, and stone render, there are no finishes to deteriorate and the building will weather naturally and improve with age.

Awards

  • Highly commended, Best Individual New Home, Mendip District Council Building Excellence Awards 2016
  • Shortlisted, Best Individual New Home, South West Building Excellence Awards 2016,

Designed by Chris Ball, George Batterham

Built by Scott Sinclair, Frome

This gallery contains 8 photos

Rowdeford Special School Autistic

May 6, 2016 by Ben Smith

Background

The school sits within the curtilage of a Listed Building and required careful negotiation with English Heritage first.  The brief was to design unique accommodation for 30 autistic pupils, where ‘enclosure and focus’, ‘separate but part of’ and ‘dialogue and interaction’ were important considerations.

Design

Interpreting these needs architecturally led to very specific design solutions: a walled garden with mono-pitched roofs hovering above, letting light in but still retaining the sense of enclosure and emotional refuge.

Technical

The roofs are designed to gently float over the garden walls, the timber structure breaks out at the entrance and the braced timber frame projects over the hall.

Designed by:  George Batterham,  Ben Smith, John St Leger

Built by:  Beards of Swindon, Wiltshire

This gallery contains 29 photos

Air Balloon Hill Primary School | Primary School Architecture Bath

May 5, 2016 by Ben Smith

Background

Expanding from 630 to 840 pupils provided the opportunity to create a new main entrance and complete the fourth side of the central courtyard.

Design

A contemporary glazed link between two fine Art Nouveau buildings starts a new timber boardwalk spine through the site connecting all the buildings together. A bridge to a new Reception for Year 1 and Year 6 classroom blocks completes the central courtyard.

Technical

The primary structure is SIPS, to allow an accelerated construction period. The first-floor terrace is finished in astroturf with cedar cladding to the walls. A 20KW PV array and high levels of insulation ensure a BREEAM rating of ‘very good’.

Designed by George Batterham, Ben Smith

Built by Skanska

This gallery contains 14 photos

Hackwood Grange

May 3, 2016 by Ben Smith

Background

This is part of a stunning group of buildings which once comprised a farm on the Hackwood Estate. The project involved the restoration and conversion of the larger barn into a dramatic open plan contemporary living space.

Design

Retaining the character of the former storage barn, only the end sections are converted into two-storey living spaces, leaving a large central open area complete with a dramatic hanging gallery and stairs.

Technical

The barn is heated by ground source heat pumps using water extracted from and returned into the ground. Energy saving features are being incorporated, including high levels of insulation and LED based lighting.

Designed by:  George Batterham, Harry Whittaker

Built by:  Goodall & Bearnard

This gallery contains 11 photos

Redfield Educate Together

May 2, 2016 by Ben Smith

Background
The first UK 420-place primary school run by Irish Academy Provider ‘Educate Together’

Design
The 2/3 storey school wraps around the urban edge protecting the teaching and playground space behind from the noise and bustle of the street.

Retained and reclaimed rubble stonework connect to a Victorian heritage and set the scene for a strong civic presence on a visible corner in Redfield.

Technical
Steel frame
PVs

Designed by:  Chris Ball, John St Leger

Built by: Skanska

This gallery contains 24 photos