High tech, contemporary nursery built as “shadow extension” of a Grade II listed school, originally the family home of Admiral Lord Nelson's mentor.
The uniqueness of this nursery scheme lays in the seamless integration of high tech materials and bold contemporary design within a conservation area. The beautiful balance between old and new proves that conservation does not have to be old fashioned, but has all the possibility of being contemporary, innovative and exciting.
The community is hugely enriched by the addition of this sustainable building which ensures the survival of the historic school for generations to come.
Being situated in a conservation area and in the grounds of the Grade II listed Catherington House, the key part of the brief was to develop a design that was contemporary and innovative to provide the school with a functional and efficient space, whilst respecting the historic context of its surroundings. To avoid causing any harm to the existing heritage asset, it was important to create a building which was aligned to the existing built environment, using high quality and long-lasting materials. The construction had to take place entirely during the summer holiday with no delays.
The development of the design has been dictated by the historic context and the established landscape. From the early design stages, it was important to ensure that the building sits in harmony with its environment, creating an improved space, both internally and externally for future generations to enjoy.
Due to the small scale of the building, the open areas are unaffected by the new addition. The front of the listed building has remained the same, while the new structure nestles at the rear protecting the important views of the listed building and established greenery due to its modest height.
The new building was partially sunken into the sloping landscape, with the retention of a historic yew hedge setting off the new entrance canopy. The dark form of the building ensures that the principal views of Catherington House are maintained and enhanced.
The building is constructed using a SIPs system which reduced the embodied carbon resulting in a high thermal performance and an impressive air tightness of 0.98.
The ‘as built’ Building CO2 emission rate is 15.12 kgCO2/m2 which improves the typical Part-L requirement by 25%. Additionally, the South-facing roof has been fitted with high performance PVs, boosting the building’s energy-saving capability.
Kingscourt School was in desperate need of a new kindergarten to serve the families within the community. As a result of the new building, the kindergarten admissions are at a record high and have secured the School’s future for many generations to come. The additional space has also allowed the existing teaching spaces to be replanned to improve the School’s ability to deliver high-quality teaching across the whole site.
Anthracite grey zinc complements the existing slate roof tiles, declaring the presence of a contemporary design and creating a ‘shadow extension’ for the existing school. Yellow window frames add a hint of playfulness and invite the visitor in, where bright yellow walls are the key interior feature.
The design supports the School’s ethos to encourage curiosity and to promote an awareness of nature. The teaching room has two large picture windows with lowered sills, providing the children with views out into the gardens rich with Oak, Sycamore and Yew trees. The generous high ceiling helps to stimulate learning, while large bi-folding doors connect the classroom to the playground.
As the project advanced through lockdown, one of the greatest challenges was the threat that COVID posed both financially and logistically. The success of the project is due to the strong teamwork between the Client, the Designers and the Contractor. The project was delivered on budget, completed on programme, while fulfilling the client’s high expectations.
Kingscourt School, formerly known as Catherington House is a Grade II listed Georgian building located in the idyllic Hampshire countryside. The house was built in the eighteenth century, originally as a family home to Admiral Hood, mentor to Admiral Lord Nelson, before being transformed into a school in 1995.
Team:
Architects: MAP Architecture, Rob Mawson
Photographer: Richard Chivers
