Neilcott Construction Limited

THE BRIT SCHOOL

Occupied Site

Performing Arts Space

Complex AV Systems

Info box:

Client: The Brit School
Value: £2.7m

The BRIT School as a specialist performing arts and technology school established a project to move the departments of music and dance from the main block into a new and separate building that had the correct acoustics, capacity and room requirements.

The scale of the new block was minimised by using a gentle curve to the roof. The curved roof of the new block allows the roof profile to remain low against the main block of the school.

The building is set down by approximately 1500mm utilising the slope of the ground so as not to detract from the main block of the school and allowing sunken seating areas to be formed between the two blocks. The split floor levels accessible from the lift create a void through the central core of the building that could be utilised for both plant and musical instrument storage.

The new building freed up space within the main block which was adapted into a number of different uses to include a lecture theatre, new library, ICT suite and restaurant.

The layout of the new block was designed in close consultation with the school combining educational guidance and the bespoke requirements of the speciality performing arts rooms.

Room proportions were a key factor in the design to optimise the performance of the spaces. The dance halls provide increased overall ceiling height so that the curriculum can be expanded.

Music rooms were designed with tapered walls to reduce reverberation times. The rooms to the upper floor levels allow future adaptability and kept the classroom areas away from the sound producing facilities. The design used a number of materials to the facade in order not to look institutional. The local authority asked for the building to reflect the dynamism of the school. This was done by using bold colours to the facade, which helped to further emphasise the curve of the roof.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *