Evaluation
Hampden Gurney School is a surprising jewel forming a curved connection between the residential blocks on Nutford Place and Forest Street. The buff brick plinth visually connects it to the brick residential developments on either side of it, but the glass balconies and the crowning tented roof deck declares its separate identity.
The pupils' progress through the school is symbolised by the ascent of their class bases up the building. The Nursery is on the entrance level and Years 5 and 6 are on the top classroom level. The almost identical plan of each of the four classroom floors help the children to gain a familiarity with the building as they move up through the school years.
The views from the play deck to classroom bridges allow the pupils to orientate themselves within the building with vistas down into the Hall and up onto other floor levels. Another clever device is to use the bridges to separate the classrooms from the play decks reinforcing the different activities in the school day. The top deck technology garden commands wonderful views across the city and allows the children to orientate themselves within the city.
The play deck surface colour is black which darkens the area; unfortunately this choice was not within the control of the architects. The Nursery deck is particularly dark as it is set back from the street to facilitate the entrance ramps. One parent felt that it was better for children to actually be "properly outdoors" for break time but staff and pupils appreciate the value of the covered decks in changing English weather patterns. The age separation of the play decks also has positive advantages as most playground accidents occur when an older child runs into a younger one.
The glass balustrades of the decks give the school a wonderful transparency, whilst each floor lobby gives tantalising views on to the play decks. The bridges allow views of the full height of the school. The classrooms have large windows looking on to the atrium. Combined with the use of the internal timber finishes, a warm and child orientated building has been created.
The designers undertook a value engineering exercise to demonstrate that the chosen structural system was more efficient and economical than a traditional transfer structure. Similarly the iroko timber used in the building is from a sustainable source.
The school has not been open for long but early indications point to much user satisfaction with the building. It really does provide the pupils "with a school worthy of the 21st Century" (RIBA citation) and shows a sophisticated awareness of urban form making.
