The Client's challenge was to create a design that is visually bold and easily identifiable while also proposing elevations that complement the existing building's aesthetic and its variety of cladding types and colours. The site on initial viewing looks adequate for the spatial needs; however, once the various constraints were considered, including vehicular access, car parking, levels and distance offset from the boundary, this resulted in a tighter space for the footprint required.

To maximise the available space onsite while meeting spatial requirements, we designed a two-storey block connected to the existing sixth form building via a single-storey link. A raised perimeter pathway will provide external access to all ground floor classrooms, eliminating the need for ramps.

The layout features two classrooms clustered together with a group room, all centred around a spacious circulation area that serves as an internal courtyard. Each floor contains two distinct courtyard groups, which are separated by a central restroom area. This design creates an organised and easily navigable series of spaces, simplifying wayfinding for students.

The existing school is entirely single-storey, making this new block the only two-storey element on the site, which could create a visually imposing presence. To mitigate the impact of this large structure, the proposed external design considers ways to break up the mass, utilising different cladding finishes for each floor.

On the ground floor, we used the same timber-effect cladding that was recently applied to the administrative block extension, establishing a solid foundation and continuity with the existing building.