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Blessed Thomas Holford, Altrincham

Blessed Thomas Holford College was instrumental in driving innovation in the design process, commencing with an architectural design competition.

The aspiration was set by Pozzoni for a design that would reinforce the College’s reputation as a top educational establishment and symbolically reinforce the modern, welcoming and creative culture. As such, the building needed to be striking yet functional and provide a mature and entrepreneurial environment for its students.

The design solution responds to the College’s objectives and provides a dynamic new face from the site entrance.

The building is designed to withstand the rigours of modern education with the flexibility to react to changing learning methods.

The building plan was conceived as a simple configuration of spaces:

a rectangular arrangement of learning spaces
a free-form element comprising the more informal spaces of cafeteria, IT and Library
a linking device for the entrance and circulation

The building steps back to avoid underground services in the form of a curved coloured glass facade, integrating the solution into the design building composition. The glazing provides a remarkable and memorable image, creating a sense of energy in and around the building.

The interior is characterised by light and space. The creative use of glass provides a spacious and bright feel to the building. The rooms were designed to be flexible and multi-functional, allowing different size groups of students to be educated in one space.

Windows are generally opening to allow variable degrees of high and low level natural ventilation.

A dramatic atrium space provides daylight and fresh air into the centre of the floor plan, exhausted at intervals throughout the building.

Innovative technologies in the building's construction include the sustainable specification of the build materials and the building's energy performance characteristics. The development is currently close to completing Final BREEAM Certification and is anticipated to achieve a BREEM Very Good rating.

The development has enhanced the sustainability, useability and energy efficiency of the entire College site.

An Energy Management System, based on the BMS, allows efficiency savings and improvements to working practice, such that the staff and students can assume an active role in improving their efficient use of the school buildings.

"Our school community is absolutely delighted with our new Sixth Form building. It is a result of the excellent co-operation between all the partners involved in the project.

The school feels that its original design aspirations have been completely realised; the building is the most striking Sixth Form facility in the Greater Manchester area. It has truly transformed our school, visually and educationally and accurately reflects our school motto: Aspirational - Exceptional - Outstanding. The end users - students and staff - are delighted with their new surroundings." Head Teacher, BTH

"The end product is one we call all be proud of and thankful for. The building is so striking and aesthetically pleasing - as well as being very user friendly - that it deserves to be nominated for a design award." Chair, BTH Board of Governors

Details

Client:
Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College
Project value:
£5.8 million