Hampden Gurney School – BDP Architects
This city centre school, by BDP Architects is a break from the more traditional arrangement of educational institutions, and has set new standards in the way city’s think about designing schools. Designed to occupy the one building, complete with a play area on the roof for the kids the school has set precedence for the future of inner city school architecture.
Often limited by space, its a wonder more inner schools don’t aim for a more vertical arrangement. Traditional schools, at least here in the UK centre around the play area, with low rise buildings surrounding it. If a section of the roof is supplied for children to exercise and play, as is the case here at Hampden Gurney School, then the options for architects to assess the way the internal spaces are arranged are far greater.
“A groundbreaking city centre school and residential scheme.
We created a new school over six levels — comprising a ground floor nursery, three floors of classrooms and a rooftop teaching room.
Meanwhile, our 6000 sq m (64 500 sq ft) residential scheme delivered 52 apartments. To ‘reclaim’ land lost to housing, we created covered play areas on every level of the school — each open to the air and separated from teaching zones by a bridge across a light well.
A steel frame and an arched truss covered by a tensile roof create a large column-free space on the fourth floor. The outer envelope is made from brick and glass, while balustrading forms the curve of the playdecks”, BDP Architects
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