Belvue High School (SEN), Rowdell Road, Northolt. UB5

Belvue High School is an SEN school that caters for the needs of pupils aged between 11 and 17 with learning difficulties and associated communication, behavioural, sensory and physical needs. The project brief was for improved facilities at the school and improvements to the buildings existing fabric. Rock Townsend collaborated with and developed Studio Weave’s initial concept design for the extension, alterations and refurbishment works with contractor Osborne.

Brick building with large geometric shaped windows. A gable with chimney profile depicts the vaulted ceiling behind
School building set with a rural setting and framed by trees under a clear blue sky
brick gable facade with recessed entrance and vaulted roofline
street view of the brick school building

The project comprises a new two-storey specialist teaching block with facilities including drama, music, art and DT, science; general classrooms, offices and WCs; and the refurbishment of parts of the existing building.

The building emulates a domestic character to reflect the school’s desire to feel more like a home than an institution. The choice of brick colour for the exterior of the new build element gives an immediately welcoming appearance on approach. Internally, the use of birch plywood lining to the various spaces brings a warmth and sense of calm, enlivened by occasional bright pops of colour to certain feature areas.

An inviting new reception area with multi-use breakout space for students, staff and visitors leads to an informal café/dining area, acting as a ‘heart’ to the school. A new colonnade around the hall connects the existing building to the new, unifying the two.  

The school places a particular emphasis on landscaping and nature with many classes and activities take place outside. New planting beds and soft landscaping are combined with aspects of the curriculum and can involve the wider community. Pupils from the school were involved in the design strategy for the new landscape.

Critical to developing the design was the logistics of phasing and minimising disruption to the normal operations of the school. The extension was built a year ahead of the refurbishment to enable classes to decant to the new building and freeing up the existing building for works.

pupils at desk within a classroom with timber lined vaulted ceiling
pupil at work benches undertaking woodwork lesson
pupils at desks within a science lab
pupils at desk within a classroom with timber lined vaulted ceiling
pupils within the drama studio practicing in groups
central circulation space combining stairwell and study booths
pupils sitting within a breakout space within school with staircase passing through and exposed services and soffit throughout
banquet seating booths for quiet study
stainless steel balustrade detail
detail of the ply frames soft seating booths
ply-lined reception desk with exposes sceiling soffit and services
steel stair against a fair-faced concrete wall
ply-lined reception desk with exposes sceiling soffit and services
circulation corridor with birch-faced doors and ceiling panels
children playing in the playground with the brick building in the background
view across the playground showing the strong rhythm of the facade
detail cluster of materials and forms - brick, standing-seam zinc roof vaulted roofs and chimney-like gable elevations
subtle brick details form a frieze to the parapet above a rhythm of large windows

Description: Extension and refurbishment of secondary SEND school.

Client: Belvue School

Contractor client: Osborne

Site: 1,350sqm (new build); 300sqm (refurbishment)

Value: £5.5m

Struct & Civils Eng.:

MEP Eng.:

BREEAM:

Status: Completed Spring 2020

RT Team: Daniel Goldenberg; Martin Howlett; Phoebe Burnett, Richard Sharp; Sally Thompson

street view of the new extension with standing-seam vaulted roof and strng gable silhouette

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