Empathise and engage

If there’s one thing we’ve learned makes better buildings, it’s empathy. Architecture never happens in isolation—and simply by being interested and engaged, we’ve found it’s possible to open up the conversations that connect a scheme to its clients and community.

Weconstraints

We believe that the more constraints there are, the better the architecture. If there aren’t any constraints, we create them. Challenging sites, existing buildings and complex briefs almost always present incredible opportunities for great design.

Passive future

To limit our environmental impact, we start with what is already there. By manipulating the form and fabric of a building—whether new or existing—we can work with the existing conditions of topography, light and orientation, and harness the natural energy sources offered by air, ground and water.

Social detail

If a site’s constraints guide the bigger design decisions, then it’s empathy that informs the smaller, social details. These details frame the human narratives that aren’t included in the brief, anticipating specific moments in the users’ lives.

Mud on our boots

Good architecture is as much about what happens on the building site as it is about what’s on the drawing board. By working alongside contractors as well as clients we can ring-fence the ideas and details that matter, championing quality and sustainability throughout construction.

Holy Trinity Primary School
WorkStudioActivityNewsContact
Curl la Tourelle Head
Work
  • Holy Trinity Primary School

  • Wimbledon, London

Client
  • London Borough of Merton

Awards
  • BCSE Awards 2011, Shortlisted

Expansion of an original 2-storey Holy Trinity School building built in 1898. A post-war extension, in sympathetic style, housed the assembly hall and kitchen. The KS1 classes were in a stand-alone single storey building to the rear, built in 2000, and 2 reception classes were in a modular building to the rear.

Our key design principle was to create a school in which each key stage can be clearly identified and have its own dedicated group room, resources facilities and a part of the playground.

A 2-storey extension wraps around the existing school hall, and houses entrance, admin, small hall and resources spaces at ground floor and KS2 classrooms and ancillary accommodation above. The ground floor of the Victorian school has been re-planned to accommodate reception classes next to the Nursery and facing the KS1 building across a dedicated external play area. A future phase is planned for an additional KS 1 classroom adjacent to the existing KS 1 area.

From the earliest stage, we made detailed proposals for phasing of the work, which was instrumental in providing parents and governors the confidence that the full expansion should proceed. The new buildings were sited on an underdeveloped part of the site to minimise impact on existing play space. exercise, involving children from all years. Particular attention was paid to the conservation of trees on the site and new street trees were planted.

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