Chelsea Academy
This innovative project in the heart of Chelsea has resulted in an outstanding facility for up to 1,100 students from across the Borough.
The project was designed to meet the needs of a 21st century school, within the constraints of an urban environment. Building within a confined space provided many opportunities for Wates to come up with creative solutions to the basic design of the building and its functionality.
Unique features of the Academy include:
- A five storey tower block with a glass walled staircase
- Roof tops being used for social areas, a football pitch and tennis courts
- A sports science centre, earth sciences laboratory and a medical sciences laboratory.
- An underground, double height main hall, sports hall, changing room facilities and plant rooms.
The main challenges of this project have been due to the logistical restraints. Wates had to devise a full logistical plan to overcome this entailing absolute micro management.
In such a close residential and affluent environment, there was an ongoing challenge from local residents, with many of them against the new academy being built in such close proximity to their homes. Our team ensured there was a thorough communication with the local community at all times, ensuring all disruptive noise was kept to a minimum, producing newsletters, holding question and answer meetings, giving them tours of the site and providing them with site working hours.
Wates were awarded 38 points on the Considerate Contractors scheme - exemplary level. Brian Sweeny, Considerate Contractors Inspector said: "This is an exemplary site. The measures taken to engage with the local community are excellent. The commitment of the site's management to mitigate all disruption to the local community is to be commended."
Project: New build Academy
Client: London Diocesan Board for Schools and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Duration: 99 weeks
Value: £35million
Categories: new build, academies, london & south east
Tags: Academies, Chelsea, Footprint of site, London
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