St Thomas of Aquin's High School

Narratives

Architect Narrative

The design quality of the new school, opened in August 2002, was secured by taking the project to full scheme design stage before entering a ‘partnering’procurement agreement, as an alternative to ‘Public Private Partnership’. The benefits in terms of project teamwork, control over design quality and cost targeting achieved by this procurement route have resulted in a very high standard of building.

The design incorporates a range of flexibility, loose-fit and expansion strategies, pioneered in other new city schools, which have drawn international attention. The building will be a highly responsive, long-term asset, responding to future change in I.T. and the curriculum. It pioneers new, enhanced space standards to provide a better learning environment; accommodate a wide range of computer-based facilities; and supports progressive policies on integrating disabled pupils.

The high standard of design and build, to integrate the building into its surroundings in the historic city centre, includes a natural stone frontage to meet the approval of the Royal Fine Arts Commission and other historic bodies. The entrance is designed to be secure but welcoming and a bright sequence of spaces flows through to the curved mezzanine of a lively assembly/ social/ street cafe space at the heart of the plan. This opens out to a double-height glass wall with sunny aspect on to the trees in the external courtyard.
The investment in a high standard of finishes and fit-out extends throughout, including the multi-media, serpentine glass-walled flexi-base/ library/ resource centre and ‘board room’, video conferencing facilities; the ‘Sports Club’ with its own dedicated community entrance; the recording studio networked to a range of performance and teaching spaces; the chapel/oratory; and the roof-level art studio, which looks over a large, balconied sculpture court.

A range of sustainability features include enhanced space provision; tall, solar shaded glazing with a proportion of acid-etched glass to diffuse natural daylight deeper into the classrooms; high quality, durable materials and full predictive environmental modelling of the optimised natural ventilation; and control systems to ensure comfort and low energy use.

In summary, the final design evolved through close dialogue with the school community as a synthesis of national and international experience drawn from studies of innovative educational, business park and community buildings, to provide a special place for the school to return to on its historic site.