Plans to transform a derelict site in Brixton into a new £9.25 million expansion of Sudbourne Primary School, designed by HLM Architects, have been given the go-ahead by The London Borough of Lambeth Planning Authorities. The scheme provides an additional 360 pupil places with the creation of a split site school, expanding from 1.5FE to 3FE.
The site on Mandrell Road was formerly occupied by Livity School and will serve as the new location for junior years, with infants remaining at the existing Sudbourne Primary School on Sudbourne and Hayter Road. The three new blocks each accommodate a specific use; teaching, staff support and hall provision, providing the educational demand for the immediate community.
The proposed development wraps around the site perimeter to create a protected central courtyard playground with a predominantly two storey tall massing approach. Teaching blocks are articulated with pitched roofs and set-back facades to reflect and preserve the residential street character. The main entrance features a third storey to define its street presence and is separated from the hall to form a secure gateway connecting the community facing entrance space directly to the courtyard.
A rooftop all-weather pitch above the hall maximises the utilisation of this urban site, offering a much-needed dedicated external PE space for the pupils. The materiality as a whole is light and sensitive to its context with gault brick façades, contrasted with the authenticity of the feature pre-weathered steel.
Luke Riggall at HLM said,
“Lambeth Council identified the need for Sudbourne Primary School to expand to provide suitable accommodation to meet both modern standards and the projected demand for additional primary school places.”
“With the school rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, HLM was determined to come up with a design that reflects the school’s responsive learning approaches and provide a stimulating facility, enabling operations to continue at the highest level.”
“We carried out extensive and transparent consultations with users, stakeholders, statutory bodies and the community on all aspects of the project and are pleased to have come up with a sustainable, innovative design that is sensitive to its context and provides much-needed school spaces for local children.”
Deputy Leader of the Council (Children and Young People), Cllr Jennifer Brathwaite said,
“Sudbourne Primary is very much a local, community school and the designers have worked very closely and effectively with the school to develop proposals for the new 1.5 form entry extension on Mandrell Road, sympathetically within the urban context. The quality embedded in the design of the new building, developed on a particularly testing site is a credit to the design team.”