Wilkinson Primary School

Architype’s successful history of delivering schools for Wolverhampton City Council led to a repeat commission to replace an existing school that had fallen victim to an arson attack in 2010.

Location

Wolverhampton, UK

Area

2,610 m2

Status

Completed

Year

2014

Client

Wolverhampton City Council

Following the success of the first Passivhaus schools in the UK, the client insisted upon the standard being applied to Wilkinson Primary School.

The new design takes the school from 1.5 form-entry to 2 form-entry, accommodating 430 pupils. The school also requires space for a 30-place nursery and flexible space available out of hours as part of the community outreach developed in the brief.

This new school project was born out of the unfortunate circumstances of an arson attack, leaving the school, pupils and surrounding community bereft. The local community really pulled together in helping the school get back on their feet in temporary accommodation, and it was important to the client that they were involved in the new design and that provisions were made for the community. Architype’s aim was to offer the pupils and staff a safe and comfortable school; part of that security was enforced by the involvement of the local community in the design process, engendering a sense of pride and ownership in the building, providing out of school hours access for sports and other extra curricular activities.

The school is flooded with natural daylight set over two floors with full height internal views that give a real sense of scale and progression for the children as they move through the school with older children on the upper floor.

Tina Gibbon, Headteacher

Vision

All vision

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Design

The building was rationalised with Key Stage 1 and nursery on the ground floor and Key Stage 2 on the first floor, with shared hall facilities and external soft play areas. The inclusive design focuses on a central ‘hub’ space, allowing for flexibility and accommodating a range of learning techniques; focused learning, quiet break out and messy play.

The south facing canopies have been strategically angled at 15° to reflect winter sunlight onto the internal ceiling and into the heart of the building through the high-level clerestory windows.

Located in the Black Country, the site is a former iron works from the industrial revolution. An old forge was identified on site, restricting the location of the foundations; to avoid extensive remediation, the new build footprint was placed in the same location as the previous. The client and local community expressed interest in the sites history and as a result, the polished grey tiles and rusted steel finishes to the exterior are a contemporary response to the rich industrial heritage, starkly contrasting the all-natural interior.

The use of a timber frame and natural materials gives the building a real sense of warmth without being over complicated while the metal exterior cladding in specific areas recognises the historical importance of the site linking it with early steel works and heavy industry, and is a perfect contrast to the clean glazing lines.