St Paul’s Way Trust School, Tower Hamlets

St Paul’s Way Trust School is a landmark building and a grand civic facility in the neighbourhood, with multi-functionality at the heart of the design on a tight, noisy inner city site.

Over three floors, the learning spaces comprise standard classrooms, open spaces, and a series of ‘houses’ to create an exciting spatial experience as one moves through the school. Large sliding doors allow the open spaces to be changed to allow different teaching styles. Each house also benefits from a cinema style projection system that allows lessons to be beamed in from around the world offering an exciting experience to the pupils!

We designed the mechanical and electrical services, to a BREAAM ‘excellent’ standard. We created a design of a mixed mode ventilation, high efficiency energy sources with exposed thermal mass and night time cooling. The concrete structure itself is a heat sink while the atriums draw excess heat from the south-facing areas and the naturally-ventilated north using stack effect and smoke vents. The building is an EPC “A” rated school with a predicted carbon target of 13 kg/C02/m2.

The lighting systems use natural daylight according to the architecture and interior design of the space. Fluorescent T5 lamps and high frequency control gear was used throughout for its high efficiency and long lamp life. Automatic lighting controls use occupancy detection and daylight linking; luminaires automatically regulate their output depending upon the natural light available.

BREEAM Excellent

   Winner – London Planning Awards 2012

   Commended – Civic Trust Awards 2012