Lickey End First School

Completed: 2009
Client: Worcestershire County Council

This extension to the Victorian Lickey End First School building provides two new classrooms for the Early Years department and replaces an outdated classroom block.

Howl Associates devised a scheme which exploits the level changes across the site to create a raised terrace on the south side of the building next to the existing wildlife garden. This area is used both as an external classroom and as a play deck, and the design allows for the free flow of children between inside and outside.

The simply expressed oversailing flat roof provides both solar shading of the classrooms and a sheltered external area. Adoption of light coloured paving materials and white soffits provides an attractive quality of natural lighting within the classrooms.

Rainwater attenuation is provided by a sedum blanket on the roof, which minimised disruption of the established garden by reducing the size of soakaway required.

A curved array of rooflights floods the linking space between the new and existing buildings with natural light.