Brent Knoll School, Forest Hill
| Client Architect Image Credits |
London Borough of Lewisham Innes Associates and LSI Architects Peter Durant |
Awards | AJ Architecture Awards School of the Year Finalist |
Brent Knoll School is a new build special needs school specifically designed for children with autism. The school is a two-storey building catering for 154 pupils, with classrooms arranged over two wings grouped around the central landscaped courtyard. Teaching facilities include a technology-rich sensory room, and an immersive space with sound, light and pattern projection to restore calm and create audio, visual and tactile experiences.
MWL were involved in the early design stages and completed a renewable energy options assessment, energy statement, ventilation design, and internal and external lighting reports. Performance calculations were completed using dynamic simulation modelling and virtual environment software to assess the performance of the design. The building fabric included high end insulation, air source heat pumps for underfloor heating, a high efficiency gas boiler system for hot water and photovoltaic panels on the roof to provide additional CO2 reductions.
The building’s classrooms, hall and dining areas are naturally ventilated using passive stack ventilation. Roof-mounted wind driven ventilation terminals in the hall and dining room are designed to 'capture' prevailing wind and direct it via four separate chambers within the terminal to the space beneath. The building achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
