CPMG delivers ‘state-of-the-art’ high school facility in South London

CPMG Architects have provided transformative designs for Eden Park High School, a brand-new £16m teaching facility in Bromley, South London, which will offer state-of-the-art learning areas and a large selection of outdoor zones

The 12,300 square metre build, which is part of the ‘Education for the 21st Century Multi-Academy Trust’, transforms previously disused public parkland on Balmoral Avenue, Bromley, between Elmers End and Beckenham. Working with main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland, the team has delivered the facilities needed to accommodate for the 1,200 secondary and 480 sixth form pupils welcomed in the school’s first full intake this academic year.

The designs create a real campus-like feel to the high school. As well as the main school building, facilities include a standalone sports hall with changing and teaching facilities for both school and community use, a dance studio, multi-use games area and extensive green space designed with learning in mind.

Hugh Avison, director at CPMG Architects said: “We have created an environment that ensures the school can maximise the educational use of every available space to provide top quality education to its students. We have drawn upon existing qualities of the site, and minimised the areas given over to vehicles and public access.

“This particular site offers a brilliant setting for a school, with a generous open site area, tree-lined context and beneficial links to the sports fields of its neighbour Beckenham Rugby Club. As a result, the masterplan was tailored to create the widest variety possible of curriculum-rich outdoor environments to promote wellbeing within students and staff.”

Emily Codling, principle at Eden Park High School said: “The new school building and its facilities are the culmination of a lot of hard work from everyone involved and its absolutely fantastic to see it come together. We can’t wait to welcome the first full intake of students in the upcoming academic year.”

Hugh added: “We’re really excited to be expanding our portfolio of outstanding educational buildings to the South London area – and look forward to continuing to work with Bowmer + Kirkland on future London school projects. It has been particularly interesting working in a London urban fringe. This area is mainly made up of low-density residential buildings broken up by large amounts of green space, allowing a lot more room for movement.”