New school design in running for two awards
THE new state-of-the-art Caldicot School in Monmouthshire is in the running for two prestigious national awards, recognising its design and construction.
Architects BDP and contractors Interserve Ltd who designed and built the £36m secondary have been shortlisted for the Building Project of the Year and the People Development Award in the Constructive Excellence Wales scheme.
The 1,500-pupil school, the first to be delivered as part of Monmouthshire County Council’s 21st Century Schools Programme, was designed to be an inspirational environment for learning as well as offering facilities for the wider community and being an elegant civic building, its designers said.
Simon Kneafsey, future schools programme manager for Monmouthshire County Council, said: “We are absolutely over the moon that our vision to deliver sustainable change to teaching and learning in our schools has been delivered in Caldicot.
“The wonderful flexible, agile teaching and learning environments created in the new school truly support new and creative ways of delivering the new Welsh curriculum.
“The staff and students love being in the school and the warm, welcoming mature workplace environment is already having an impact on outcomes.
“This school and our other secondary school in Monmouth, due to be completed in this autumn and also designed by BDP, are up there with the best designed schools in the UK.”
The building was designed to allow as much light in as possible. There is a shared central space, a theatre, sports hall, meeting rooms, IT suites and community café.
Tim Humphries, BDP schools architectural lead, said: “The public and shared spaces in schools are possibly the most important. They create the atmosphere for the whole school and allow the buildings to be more organically used. To spill out from the classrooms and learn in a more dynamic way benefits the pupils and staff, and with vaulted ceilings and as much natural light as possible, the spaces feel important, uplifting and welcoming.”
Nick Fairham, project director from BDP’s Bristol office, added: “Our aim is always to design buildings around the needs of the people who use them and since the school is in the heart of the town, we designed in facilities for the community to enjoy too and it’s great to see the new school open with such support amongst staff, pupils and the local community.”
BDP is working on projects in Wales with a value of around £350m, including the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran and the University of Cardiff’s Innovation Campus.