Brief
The school caters for children aged three to 16 who have severe, profound and complex learning difficulties.
The Bridge School had operated for a number of years from two sites, six miles apart within Ipswich. Suffolk County Council wanted a new primary campus to be built on land adjacent to the existing secondary campus in Sprites Lane. The project was envisaged as phase one of a staged programme that will bring all the children together on one campus and provide facilities and an environment that would meet the special educational needs of the pupils. Phase two will aim to provide improved shared accommodation and replace facilities for secondary-aged pupils.
Key Info
Type:
New Build
Value:
£6 million
Location:
Ipswich, Suffolk
Client:
Suffolk County Council
Contractor:
ISG
End User:
The Bridge School
Disciplines:
Architecture, Building Services Design, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Project Management
Imagery
Scope
The design meets the increasing and complex demands of pupils and an evolving curriculum.
The traditional steel frame permits flexibility which suits longer-term changes in the size or number of rooms. The flexibility of the design also allows short-term changes in teaching methods and the integration of advanced ICT to help stimulate the pupils’ learning ability. The learning environment has been designed to be inclusive for children with SEN or disabilities. The light, spacious classrooms maximise opportunities for community use outside of school hours. Curtain glazing enables natural light to enter the internal spaces and views out to the surrounding landscape. An injection of colour between the windows is striking and refers to the beautiful finishing touches internally. The stained glass reception canopy allows all year round use of the amazing outside learning and play zone.
Sustainability was considered early in the design so best practice could be embraced before, during and beyond the construction phases to reduce the immediate and long-term environmental impact of the new school. The parameters of the brief changed throughout the project. This was in response to additional stakeholder involvement part way through the project. The design team was flexible and accommodating, meeting the needs of the changing brief and minimising the impact to the build programme on site. We took on the role of advisor to the client and made certain requirements were met.
Testimonial
“With the new primary school completed, the children’s special educational needs have been met with state-of-the-art facilities. As well as the excellent facilities inside the building, every classroom has access to its own dedicated outdoor area, as well as an outdoor science classroom, a sensory garden and excellent play facilities. Education beyond the classroom is so important for our pupils and these new facilities provide incredible opportunities to enhance their learning.”
Odran Doran, Former Head Teacher, The Bridge School
Result
A wide-ranging landscaping scheme has been designed and installed to provide for the specialist needs of the pupils.
The stand-alone, single-storey, cross-laminated timber (CLT) frame building provides 10 class spaces, office and specialist accommodation including an occupational therapy and physio gym, soft and sensory play rooms and a new school hall. The use of the CLT frame meant that the construction time programme was considerably shorter than with traditional methods of construction.