FITZALAN HIGH SCHOOL, CARDIFF

A key brief objective was that the design of the new school should provide flexible and adaptable spaces to teach and learn the New Progressive Curriculum

Fitzalan High School, Cardiff

Austin-Smith:Lord were appointed as part of Kier’s winning team to design the School to RIBA Stage 4 after a mini competition based on Stage 1 information issued by Cardiff Council. The Design Team have worked closely with Cardiff City Council and their advisors, as well as the School, throughout the initial phases of the project.

The brief calls for the provision of a replacement new 11-18 high school at 10FE including 350 post 16 places to address “D” condition categorisation and “D” categorised sufficiency issues in the local area. This project represents a significant new facility for the pupils, staff and local community.

It is proposed that the new Fitzalan High School is built in the same area facing the catchment area that it serves. The site selected is close to the existing Fitzalan High School site, located on the other side of Lawrenny Avenue, Cardiff.

A key brief objective was that the design of the new school should provide flexible and adaptable spaces to teach and learn the New Progressive Curriculum. Our design proposals are supportive in delivering these principles and supporting the changing role of the teacher as a facilitator of learning.

We feel that ASL totally understood our vision and passion for our school and what we wanted the new school to enable us to be. They have captured our demands for an inspirational environment that also allows us to deliver the curriculum in the bespoke responsive way that ensures our pupils will be successful. We cannot be constrained by typical classrooms and traditional methods and the ASL team have grasped that as a concept and designed an amazing facility that will allow for the flexibility and innovation that we are so keen to continue.
Jo Kemp, Assistant Headteacher, Fitzalan School

LOCATION: CARDIFF

CLIENT: CARDIFF CITY COUNCIL

VALUE: £40M

COMPLETION: 2023
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: KIER

LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH:LORD
STRUCTURES: JUBB
SERVICES: AECOM
COST CONSULTANT: MACE

ALEXANDER HOUSE OFFICE REFURBISHMENT, CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

PDR is a world leading design consultancy and applied research facility owned by Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Alexander House Office Refurbishment, Cardiff Metropolitan University

PDR is a world leading design consultancy and applied research facility owned by Cardiff Metropolitan University. The business operates independently from the University, operating internationally with world renowned industries including healthcare equipment developers, banks and retailers.

The project facilitated PDR’s move off the university campus to a separate facility bought by the University. Austin-Smith:Lord’s interior designers carried out full design services for the disused and dated 1980s three storey building, converting it into contemporary offices representative of the design quality PDR strive for. Key to the success of the project was the consultation process with end users to understand the vision of the organisation, workflows and practical requirements.

LOCATION: CARDIFF

CLIENT: PDR / CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

VALUE: £735k

COMPLETION: 2019
SERVICE: INTERIOR DESIGN
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: BECT LTD

STRUCTURES: ARUP
SERVICES: ARUP
COST CONSULTANT: AECOM

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WELLINGTON SCHOOL CAMPUS MASTERPLAN

A flexible, long-term vision for the school

Wellington School Campus Masterplan

Austin-Smith:Lord were appointed to assist Wellington School in developing a masterplan that would seek to establish an immediate and long term vision for the school with respect to its current and future property needs. The masterplan has been developed to provide a flexible, long-term vision that can be adapted to deal with changes in priorities and circumstance; it is not intended to be a finite solution that needs to be rigorously implemented without deviation.

The main purpose of the masterplan is to provide a framework and create a vision for Wellington School that allows informed decisions to be taken with respect to the school’s future developments.

We have been delighted to work with architectural specialists Austin-Smith:Lord. Experts in campus development and masterplan creation, our partners from A-S:L quickly established an impressive understanding of our requirements and they have brought innovation, creativity and a wealth of experience to the task. 

Mr S P Johnson, Headmaster, Welllington School 

LOCATION: AYR

CLIENT: WELLINGTON SCHOOL

VALUE: N/A

COMPLETION: 2018
SERVICE: MASTERPLANNING, ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION

LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH: LORD
TRANSPORT ENGINEER: TRANSPORT PLANNING LTD
COST CONSULTANT: NEILSON PARTNERSHIP

COLEG SIR GÂR (YR EFAIL / THE FORGE)

The new facility, ‘Yr Efail/The Forge’, for Carmarthenshire College enhances the Graig campus’ education offering, by providing a new combined sports and performing arts building. A large, 4-court sports hall, gym, and associated changing facilities, as well as a flexible performance space, creates a vibrant and exciting addition to the campus. A wide range of indoor sports are catered for in the new sports hall, including badminton, basketball, and netball, creating a high-quality, flexible sporting venue for the college, and the local community.

Coleg Sir Gâr (Yr Efail / The Forge)

The new facility, ‘Yr Efail/The Forge’, for Carmarthenshire College enhances the Graig campus’ education offering, by providing a new combined sports and performing arts building. A large, 4-court sports hall, gym, and associated changing facilities, as well as a flexible performance space, creates a vibrant and exciting addition to the campus. A wide range of indoor sports are catered for in the new sports hall, including badminton, basketball, and netball, creating a high-quality, flexible sporting venue for the college, and the local community.

Yr Efail/The Forge creates a new hub of activity and professional teaching, training and performing spaces on the existing Graig Campus. The building’s distinct personality sets it apart from the existing building stock, and sets it apart as its own entity amongst the campus.

LOCATION: LLANELLI

CLIENT: CARMATHENSHIRE COLLEGE

VALUE: £3.2M

COMPLETION: 2018
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: TAD BUILDERS

STRUCTURES: ROGER CASEY ASSOCIATES
SERVICES: AUXILIUM
COST CONSULTANT: MOTT MACDONALD

JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY, MANCHESTER

RIBA Award-winning library, housing one of the world’s finest collections of books and manuscripts in one of the most impressive neo-Gothic buildings in Europe

John Rylands Library, University of Manchester

The University of Manchester’s John Rylands Library houses one of the world’s finest collections of books and manuscripts in one of the most impressive neo-Gothic buildings in Europe. For many years, however, the building was difficult to negotiate and maintain with many inaccessible areas and a lack of visitor facilities. Working with conservation architect Lloyd Evans Prichard, Austin-Smith:Lord’s brief was to ‘unlock’ the Rylands by preserving the existing buildings and collections whilst enhancing the Library’s accessibility and public profile.

Austin-Smith:Lord designed a striking new five-storey extension to the Grade I listed building aimed at raising the Library’s public profile. The design added a new public entrance with café and shop,10,000 linear metres of archive storage, a conservation workshop and a reading room.

LOCATION: MANCHESTER

CLIENT: UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

VALUE: £12.5m

COMPLETION: 2007
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION, ARTS & CULTURE
CONTRACTOR: LINFORD

LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH: LORD
STRUCTURES: CURTINS CONSULTING
SERVICES: GIFFORD
COST CONSULTANT: APPLEYARD & TREW

AWARDS:
2008 RIBA AWARD

TOM REILLY BUILDING, LIVERPOOL

Delivered in just two years, a new state-of-the-art faculty building

Tom Reilly Building, Liverpool

Austin-Smith: Lord had already commenced a review of the University’s City Campus and in April 2007 was commissioned to design the new, state-of-the-art faculty building (Phase 1) to reside within the masterplan of the Byrom Street campus. This project was fast-tracked and was delivered in just two years.

Within the restricted site, 6500m² of accommodation had to be provided for a wide-range of purposes: specialist bio-mechanics laboratories, a 60 metre running track, environment chambers, general teaching laboratories, classrooms and staff offices.

The University is delighted with The Tom Reilly Building. The design team produced an exceptional building and their dedication to the project meant that it was delivered in just over two years. Having already produced three RIBA Award-winning buildings for LJMU, The Tom Reilly building now forms part of the successful partnership history we have with Austin-Smith:Lord.

Mr Joe Connell – Director of Estates and Facilities Team, Liverpool John Moores University

LOCATION: LIVERPOOL

CLIENT: LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY

VALUE: £20m

COMPLETION: 2009
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: LAING O’ROURKE

STRUCTURES: GIFFORD
SERVICES: GIFFORD
COST CONSULTANT: TURNER & TOWNSEND

AWARDS:
2011 RIBA SHORTLIST
2011 SILVER ROSES DESIGN AWARD

AGRICULTURE INNOVATION CENTRE, BRIDGWATER

BREEAM Excellent, new build facility for Bridgwater College

Agriculture Innovation Centre, Bridgwater

Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed to assist Bridgwater College in the improvement and rationalisation of facilities across their Cannington Campus sites by addressing the improvement of teaching facilities at Rodway Farm. This was seen as an important project towards retaining the College’s position as a leading provider in the land-based education sector, achieving continuous improvement and continuing its key role with the Bridgwater and wider Sedgemoor economic and social community.

We provided a multi-disciplinary team to provide options and feasibility studies for a new build facility of some 900m2 to a challenging timescale. The resultant Stage C report was integral to helping the College secure funding support from the Skills and Funding Agency in late 2012.

LOCATION: BRIDGWATER, SOMERSET

CLIENT: BRIDGWATER COLLEGE

VALUE: £1.8m

COMPLETION: 2014
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE, INTERIORS
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: MIDAS CONSTRUCTION

LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH: LORD
STRUCTURES: CURTINS
SERVICES: TROUP BYWATER + ANDERS
COST CONSULTANT: WT HILLS

STOCKPORT COLLEGE CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

Masterplanner, lead consultant and designer of the Phase 1 and 2 redevelopment programme

Stockport College Campus Development

Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed by Stockport College as masterplanners, lead consultant and designers of their Phase 1 and 2 redevelopment programme. This programme was designed to bring forward a 21st Century Flagship Campus on the existing site and the recently acquired St Thomas Hospital site, which together sit on the southerly approach to the town centre.

This 37,500m² flagship campus enhances the College’s image and profile across all areas of the curriculum and further strengthens its reputation.

The new campus reflects an exciting mix of substantial new build accommodation, retained and refurbished Victorian listed buildings and the best elements of the previously existing estate.

LOCATION: STOCKPORT

CLIENT: STOCKPORT COLLEGE

VALUE: £85M

COMPLETION: 2010
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, CONSERVATION, MASTERPLANNING, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: WATES CONSTRUCTION

LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH: LORD
STRUCTURES: CLARKE BOND CONSULTING ENGINEERS
SERVICES: ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DESIGN
COST CONSULTANT: THE SIMON FENTON PARTNERSHIP

AWARDS:
2011 MSA AWARD: BUILDING OF YEAR + COMMUNITY BUILDING OF THE YEAR
2011 RIBA SHORTLIST

GELLISWICK VC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed as Executive Architects by Willmott Dixon in the development of a new £8m, BREEAM excellent primary school for 480 pupils with provision for future expansion to 540 pupils.

Gelliswick VC Primary School

Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed as Executive Architects by Willmott Dixon in the development of a new £8m, BREEAM ‘Excellent’, 2-form entry primary school and nursery for 480 pupils.

The new school was designed to replace two existing schools of Hakin Community School and Hubberston VC School and accommodate their combined pupil numbers. In doing so it also provides enhanced accommodation for a ‘County Complex Needs Unit’ accommodating 24 pupils aged 3-11, a ‘Flying Start Facility’ and some shared facilities made available for Community use.

LOCATION: PEMBROKESHIRE

CLIENT: PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

VALUE: £8m

COMPLETION: 2017
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE, INTERIORS
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: WILLMOTT DIXON

STRUCTURES: CAMBRIA
SERVICES: TB&A
COST CONSULTANT: FAITHFUL & GOULD

ESSA PRIMARY SCHOOL

This exciting new school was set up under the Government’s Free School initiative by the Essa Foundation Academies Trust. The school caters for children aged four to eleven. The project was part refurbishment and part new build to accommodate 420 pupils.

The project was supported by the Education Funding Agency’s Free School programme. The site, which was occupied by a partially demolished secondary school, was in need of a new lease of life. The EFA carried out an initial feasibility assessment and came to the conclusion that the existing facility could be refurbished and extended into a new primary school; from reception through to juniors.

Essa Primary School

This exciting new school was set up under the Government’s Free School initiative by the Essa Foundation Academies Trust. The school caters for children aged four to eleven. The project was part refurbishment and part new build to accommodate 420 pupils.

The project was supported by the Education Funding Agency’s Free School programme. The site, which was occupied by a partially demolished secondary school, was in need of a new lease of life. The EFA carried out an initial feasibility assessment and came to the conclusion that the existing facility could be refurbished and extended into a new primary school; from reception through to juniors.

The new primary school building was originally a former high school building. Previously the existing building housed the school PE and dining halls, with large 6th form teaching bases, assembly and PE space, kitchens, offices and WCs.

The challenge for Austin-Smith:Lord was to understand how the existing large areas could be broken up into smaller zones of education spaces, for each of the clusters of Key Stage year groups. The utilisation of the taller spaces with clerestory windows to bring ventilation and natural light into the deeper spaces was paramount to the success of the design.

LOCATION: BOLTON

CLIENT: ISG

VALUE: £2m

COMPLETION: 2015
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: ISG

LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH: LORD
STRUCTURES: RENAISSANCE
SERVICES: TACE