Mulberry Academy London Docks
The new Mulberry Academy London Dock provides an outstanding new secondary school for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Location
London, UK
Area
12,341
Status
Completed
Year
2024
Client
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Set on a complex urban site, Architype developed designs that provided students the space to breath: externally, through generous pockets of greenery on rooftops, terraces and elevated courtyards; and internally through double height classrooms, wide corridors and sociable communal spaces.
Passivhaus provided the foundation for the design, guaranteeing health, wellbeing and energy performance. On top of this, our team prioritised an elegant material palette and striking architectural finesse, including stone columns and exposed concrete details to create a mature school campus.
The state-of-the-art co-educational school represents a milestone in sustainable, innovative design and construction delivery. Integrating the area’s history and local character while addressing air quality, noise, and safety challenges, the school will provide a dynamic and inspiring space for students and the wider community for many generations to come.
David Rowsell, Managing Director, Kier Construction London & Thames Valley
Vision
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How can we celebrate local ecology and enhance biodiversity?
Building in Biodiversity
Biodiversity
How can we celebrate local ecology and enhance biodiversity?
Biodiversity in the city
Native landscapes of shady woodland, marginal grasslands, and river edges which would once have inhabited this riverine area inspire the biodiverse landscape strategy developed by BD | Landscape
Design
This school is a beacon of opportunity, and we look forward to seeing the impact it will have on the community for many years to come.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets
Expertise
Project partners
Architect, Passivhaus Designer, Principal Designer (CDM)
Architype
Principal contractor
Kier
Cost Consultant
Potter Raper
M&E (Stages 1-4)
BDP
M&E (Stages 4+)
Briggs & Forrester Engineering Services Ltd
Structures (Stages 1-4)
BDP
Structures (Stages 4+)
SE Walsh
Landscape
BD | Landscape
Passivhaus Certifier
Etude
Fire consultant
OFR Consultants
Acoustic consultant
ION Acoustics
Planning consultant
Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners
FF&E
Red Apple Designs
Catering Design
Jam Jar Design Solutions
ICT Consultant
Nexus
Selected accolades
2024 Brick Award - Education Category
Key data
Articles
Co-owners Sioned Holland and Dr Chryssa Thoua spoke to RIBA about designing healthy, resilient schools as part of a professional feature educating architects on key strategies.
Mulberry Academy London Docks
Harris Academy Sutton
Hackbridge Primary School
Building Physics
Building Performance
Climate Resilience
Publication
An architect's guide to heatwave resilience
30 July 2026
Helen Murray
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