This scheme required the expansion of a school on a tight budget and timescale to achieve a series of major extensions and new build on an extremely tight site.

We carried out a number of design iterations for the new build and extension element of the project and carried out value engineering at the early stages to rationalise the design in relation to form, materials and buildability to provide best value to the Client.

Because of a tight budget we focussed on quality of space with well detailed robust materials. Environmental problems in primary schools can affect the concentration of children and teachers so we have created a rational design with a wide circulation space creating a buffer zone from the playground facing north. Natural daylight is 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 within the spaces lend themselves to a natural ventilation strategy being adopted. Circulation area doubles up as break out space to create informal learning areas outside the Classrooms.

The concept of materiality is explored within the design to create a tactile connection between internal and external spaces.

Drawing on the contractors experience in builldability and sequencing, we were able to reduce the risk of supply chain issues that might have had an adverse impact on the programme, selecting specialist subcontractors and not using products and materials that are either uneconomical or difficult to obtain and generally identifying and managing construction risk.

We were appointed to work on Lyppard Grange Primary School through the Worcestershire County Council Framework. The project includes provision of a new building to create four new classrooms for Years 5 and 6 with additional facilities to extend the School to a two form entry with refurbishment to the existing school to re-organise the administration areas and to extend the existing Hall.

Having gained experience in Passivhaus design for both new build and retrofit projects we adopted the basic principles of passive solar design at the earliest opportunity to reduce heat loss as well as paying particular attention to detailing building fabric by assessing construction types to improve U-values, limit thermal bridging and continuity of airtightness and wind tightness.

Environmentally the building has been designed to minimise CO2 emissions. The building incorporates U-values to Passivhaus standards with the inclusion of triple glazed windows working to improve the thermal performance of the building fabric. Summer cooling requirements have been reduced by passive ventilation strategies with the south side of the building in close proximity to the line of vegetation on the boundary to provide shading. We improved levels of comfort through the improvement of the building fabric in lieu of add-on renewables to create a comfortable environment for the users of the building.