In environmental terms, there are high levels of natural daylighting provided through extensive window areas, rooflight areas and clerestorey glazing. Large lightwells act as ‘events’ on the circulation routes which enhance the user experience.
Ventilation is provided through simply operated window openings and louvre panels within the external wall glazing, enhanced by chimney stack vents leading from the ground floor and openings in the clerestorey glazing at first floor level. Some mechanical ventilation ducts are used to aid ventilation to the central resource area, kitchen and hygiene rooms.
External Finishes
In terms of cladding, a varied but high quality set of materials have been used. Buff brickwork at ground floor level, Siberian Larch at higher level and proprietary render to pick out some areas. The combination of these materials and rectilinear and curved forms is very powerful.
The roofs are a combination of flat and curved roof ‘planes’. A single ply membrane was used for the flat roofs. Metal standing seam roofing was used for all the curved roofs, with an additional green roof sedum blanket applied on top.
Velfac windows are used throughout which are precise and well engineered but give the additional warmth of timber internally. Internal walls are all plasterboard.
Internal Finishes
Ceiling materials were specified to provide the correct reverberation time performance. Ceiling profiles are enhanced by the use of a central classroom ‘coffer’ on the ground floor. On the first floor, the ceiling follows the curved roof profile.
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