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LCE architects UK

St Mark’s CE VA Primary SchoolSwanage, UK

UK164-165 Western Road Brighton BN1 2BBT +44 (0)1273 206 710E info@LCEarch.com

©design management consultancy

LCE architects UK

ClientThe Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education / St Mark’s Primary SchoolArchitectLCE ArchitectsMain ContractorHammond and SonsFloor Area1550 m²Value£2.4mStatusCompleted

St Marks CE VA Primary SchoolSwanage, UK

Following a competition and interview in 2012,LCE Architects were chosen to design a newlarger building for St Mark’s First School inSwanage. The school was to be relocated to the site of an existing middle school and involveddemolition of much of the existing unsuitableaccommodation, retention and extensiveremodelling of the existing hall building and twonew teaching wings to accommodate growingpupil numbers.

The project was part of a county wide reorganisation of the educationsystem from a three-tier to a two-tier arrangement and as such StMark’s First School would become a primary school requiring morespace and facilities than their current building would allow.

An assessment of the existing middle school revealed that much of theteaching accommodation was unsuitable for primary age pupils andthe decision was made to retain the hall building and channel most ofthe budget into creating new, single storey teaching accommodation.

Originally used for secondary education, the hall was larger thanrequired so a careful remodelling of this space enabled us to fit muchof the ancillary school accommodation in this volume whilst maintaininga generous hall for the school’s use. A poorly designed caretaker’s flatconnected to the hall was removed allowing us to install large newwindows to the end of the hall flooding it with light and providing viewsout onto the large playing field to the front.

A reception class was also accommodated within the retained space as well as a pre-school space which, although not a requirement in the brief, was on the school’s wish list owing to their close links with an existing pre-school.

For speed and ease of construction the new teaching accommodationcomprising 6 classrooms with breakout spaces and shared toilets wasconstructed in Cross Laminated Timber panels, fabricated off site andrapidly erected on site.

Given the beautiful country setting of the school, the class spaces weredesigned to maximise connections with the outside environment. Allare dual aspect with large areas of glazing, and have direct accessto external teaching and play areas. Overhanging eaves and a largecanopy provide shade and protection from the elements allowing themto be used year round.

As a link between the new and old buildings, a central multi-use spacewas created, again using CLT construction to serve as the main pupilentrance and a flexible assembly and library space.

The school was completed under budget and opened on time inSeptember 2014.