Two architectural awards for school
A historic Northampton school is celebrating double success after its innovative new building complex won two architectural awards.
The 9.4m concourse at Northampton School for Boys has clinched both a design prize from the East Midlands branch of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and an environmental award from the East Midlands Development Agency.
The three-storey extension includes a refectory, sixth form, offices and 17 new classrooms and has increased the school's capacity by 450.
It was designed by Northampton architects Peter Haddon and Partners to complement the school's original 96-year-old building while "embracing the challenges of the future."
Senior deputy head teacher Rod Goldswain said: "We are all very pleased to have received these awards.
"The design brief and the architects' undoubted skills and creativity have secured us a building for the future.
"The whole design team worked tremendously hard to ensure this building would provide a superb learning environment coupled with a civilised circulation and restaurant area.
"It certainly has the 'wow' factor, but most importantly it works and meets our need very well indeed."
Judges of the RIBA architectural award praised the building's innovative design which uses a series of dynamic bridges, balconies and pods to bring together teaching, social and performance spaces.
The use of eco-friendly features such as sustainable building materials, rainwater harvesting facilities and energy-saving lighting and heating systems helped secure the East Midlands Development Agency's Environmental Initiative prize.
Tony Parr, regional chairman of RIBA East Midlands, said: "The architects have achieved an outstanding piece of architecture that is also an exemplar of sustainable design which the two awards recognise."
The concourse was part of a 12m revamp of the school which took two years to complete and was funded by charitable body the Cripps Foundation and Northamptonshire County Council.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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