海角视频

Thomas Deacon Academy

Peterborough, UK

Thomas Deacon is the UK鈥檚 largest academy, with 2,200 students from three pre-existing schools. The project brief called for the design to 鈥減romote the specialist science and mathematics nature of the academy and the concept of entrepreneurial skills鈥�.

Challenge

The Academy strived to move towards a style of teaching that encompasses a more 鈥榰niversity鈥� style of learning; where many traditional lessons are replaced with lectures, seminars and tutorials. To achieve this while ensuring that students felt welcome when they first started the Academy, the Trust wanted six separate colleges to be created on campus.

Solution

The six colleges define the curved form of the building, and in turn the span of the roof that encloses the spaces. Following exploration of dozens of potential roof designs, 海角视频鈥檚 experts created a dynamic and efficient curved steel grid-shell roof that not only offers shape to the concourse space, but also assists the ventilation strategy of the building, provides a smoke reservoir in the event of a fire and celebrates the Academy鈥檚 specialisms.

As well as defining the six college buildings, the orientation of the school was chosen to limit solar gain and the main structural frame was constructed from high thermal mass concrete as part of a natural ventilation solution

The building鈥檚 expansive internal space provides a well-lit, flexible environment which is considered by students and teachers to be inspirational as well as creating a feeling of belonging. Additionally, our people flow specialists designed a people flow model that predicted circulation patterns and areas likely to become congested, and then designed in measures for safe movement.

Value

Despite the challenges and restricted budget, work was completed at the Academy on time and within budget. Our structural solution for the roof design has provided a stunning visual statement for the Thomas Deacon Academy, delivering a building that students feel proud to attend, while the work that we carried out to understand how students would move around the space has ensured a safe and secure environment for all users.