Architectural
design structural design engineers
WS Atkins plc - Atkins local team creates Village School’s colourful transformation
The Village Primary School in Thornaby is
being brought firmly into the 21st Century with the help of the
Stockton office of multidiscipline consultants Atkins.
Working in partnership with Stockton Borough Council’s asset and
facilities management section, the Atkins team is undertaking
architectural, structural and electrical design on the £500,000
scheme; it comprises a 260 m² extension to the existing school
building that was built in early 1930’s. Stockton Borough
Council is carrying out the quantity surveying and mechanical
design.
A dramatic outdoor corridor which runs along the eastern wall
will effect the biggest visual change to the school. A
transition space as well as somewhere to shelter from inclement
weather, the corridor which faces onto the school playground
will be meshed with brightly coloured discs made from powder
coated steel. Offering a bright learning environment for the
pupils, the transformation of the Village Primary has been
further continued with the introduction of an open plan
arrangement which will see a distinction between learning spaces
using primary colours.
In addition, the 240-place school which is situated on Thornaby
Road will see a foundation unit comprising three classrooms, a
family room and two external play areas being created as well as
internal refurbishment being undertaken on an existing adjoining
classroom. The work will see the replacement of three temporary
Portacabins which have been in use since the 1980s.
Gary White, senior architect for Atkins, said: “Although this
project isn’t grand in scale, it will effect a massive
transformation for the staff and students of the school
therefore we undertook an extensive consultation exercise with
the head teacher and Stockton Borough Council to determine their
aspirations for the scheme.
“Our team has enjoyed working in partnership with Stockton
Borough Council. Although partnering can be challenging, it has
allowed us to see how other people work and I have personally
enjoyed building the working relationship between our teams.
“I am very much looking forward to seeing the project’s
completion in August, ready for the start of the school year.”
The work will additionally effect a substantial change on access
to the site making the flow of people coming onto the school
premises more controlled.
Patricia Gibb, head teacher of Village Primary School, said:
“This year is a very exciting time for our staff and pupils -
not only are we celebrating our 75th anniversary but are all
very much looking forward to starting the new school year in a
vastly improved building.
“From the outset, we felt very strongly that the extension
shouldn’t look like a brick box, but something different which
reflected the creative work going on inside our school. The
finished article will certainly be very invigorating for staff
and pupils alike and will provide a new impetus for us moving
forward.”
Email:
alice.andreasen@clothierlacey.co.uk