HLM Architects - Offices Development - Plymouth, £30 Million Plymouth Schools PFI
Date: 05 Jun 2006
HLM Architects, working with local partner Lacey Hickie & Caley, has been awarded the £30 million Plymouth Schools PFI, comprising The Whitleigh Learning Campus, Whitleigh Primary School, Early Years Centre and Young Parents Centre, together with a new primary school, Barne Barton.
The project will consolidate and improve education and community facilities and extend the range through introducing the Woodlands PD School and Hostel, combined with the relocation of the local Youth Centre and Community Education. The new facility will combine teaching and support facilities into one 'campus', creating a fully inclusive, functionally operational, secure and protected learning environment.
Due for completion in September 2008, the pioneering new campus will provide for the educational needs of children of all ages, including facilities for the rising number of teenage mothers in the area.
It will comprise a 900-place Specialist Status 6 Form Entry Secondary School; a 2 Form Entry Primary School including wrap-around provision for 0-4 year olds through the provision of a Children's Centre and Neighbourhood Nursery; a 75-place School for children with Physical Difficulties; residential provision in the form of a hostel; a Young Parents Pupil Referral Unit a Youth Centre and Community Education Facilities.
Each of the schools within the new Whitleigh campus will have its own identity and entrance to reflect its distinct use. The teaching spaces allow for flexibility to respond to evolving educational needs and a series of rich, intimate, external spaces allow the pupils to learn and play outside in a secure, discrete environment. Learning is embedded in the landscape design giving pupils a chance to engage with their environment and habitat areas and sensory planting help promote environmental issues.
At the heart of the school is the Forum - a series of central interactive spaces which come together to create a vibrant hub for the schools, a place to display pupils' work and a potential focus for managed community use. The space is flexible and can be used as halls, dining areas, drama and gym spaces, examination spaces and meeting / teaching spaces from small groups to whole school assemblies.
The creation of a sustainable design solution was a key requirement of the Brief for the Plymouth Schools. HLM Architects, through its HLM-4D environmental software package, addressed sustainability issues from concept design stage. Design issues such as building form and location, orientation and space planning, location of services and access have been addressed with sustainability as a key driver. The school maximises the use of natural ventilation and daylight helping reduce energy use.
Caroline Buckingham, director at HLM, said: "This project will also address the wider goals of Plymouth, creating regeneration and a new civic presence to encourage inclusion as well as wider links with the community and city beyond. It also represents a milestone in school design through the investment in research we have made as a company.
"The creation of a high quality learning environment in the heart of the community will bring renewed life, vigour and regeneration to the area," he added.
CGI image of the courtyard from the external dining area
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