Hampden Gurney School

A groundbreaking city centre school and residential scheme.

We created a new school over six levels — comprising a ground floor nursery, three floors of classrooms and a rooftop teaching room.

Meanwhile, our 6000 sq m (64 500 sq ft) residential scheme delivered 52 apartments. To ‘reclaim’ land lost to housing, we created covered play areas on every level of the school — each open to the air and separated from teaching zones by a bridge across a light well.

A steel frame and an arched truss covered by a tensile roof create a large column-free space on the fourth floor. The outer envelope is made from brick and glass, while balustrading forms the curve of the playdecks.

Brief

  • replace a 1950s school with modern facilities for 240 pupils (3.5-11 yrs)
  • build a residential development on the former play area
  • maintain the statutory amount of play space

Results

  • cutting-edge meets tradition with a new library, multimedia room, hall, music room, chapel, drama rooms and administration area
  • first-class communal teaching
  • awards: RIBA Award for Architecture 2002 (Shortlist for Stirling Prize), Civic Trust Award 2004, Structural Steel Design Award 2003 (commendation)

Facts

Location: Marylebone, London, UK
Client: Jarvis, Holloway White Allom Ltd
Construction cost: £18m
Completed: school 2002, housing 2003
Awards: 3

Integrated services

architecture, environmental engineering, structural engineering, landscape architecture, lighting

Links to images