Stormont Secondary School

Location: London

Client: Mouchel Babcock

Sector: Education

Cost: £6m

Status: Concept

Stormont House School is a highly successful, small school for children with a complex mixture of learning, speech, language, emotional, social communication and/or medical needs. The school currently has 100 pupils between the age of 11 and 16 and is located on the southern edge of Hackney Downs.

The new brief called for a school of 4,133msq – more than twice the size of the current school. A design was initially developed to stage C+ for the school to be located on the present site with temporary accommodation for decant located adjacent. Subsequently the Authority decided to avoid the need for disruptive decant by moving the school site permanently to an adjacent bowling green.

As the new site is located more centrally in the Downs, the concept of a ‘Pavilion in the Park’ was developed in response to its unique setting. The design ensures that it embodies the ethos of the school to celebrate and enhance its creative focus; to make learning visible; be welcoming and provide a sense of progression for the pupils. A clear, legible front entrance and circulation strategy is central to achieving this, as is the external learning component of the design. Hence, all class bases have direct access to external space that can be developed into learning areas.

Sustainable and environmental features:

• BIM Innovation
• Building Energy Management Systems
• Encourage Recycling
• Forestry Stewardship Council Approved Timber
• Green Specification Guidance
• Grey Water Recycling
• Indigenous Planting Scheme
• Manual Control
• Maximise locally sourced materials to minimise transport
• Micro-climate
• Natural Ventilation
• Non V.O.C. Paint
• Off-site construction
• Photovoltaics
• Reduce Construction Wastage
• Reduce Time on Site
• Secure Night Time Ventilation
• Solar Hot Water Panels
• Thermal Mass
• Water Saving Fixtures
• Shading / Overhangs