Secondary School Extension, Newbury

“ArchitectureLIVE have proven to be visionary thinkers matched by down-to-earth practicality and a passion for detail. Their confident and friendly handling of our project meant I never felt out of my depth.”

Tina, Facilities Manager, St Bartholomew's School

The brief, to extend the school to provide additional exam space.

Curved facade of photovoltaic glazing and terracotta panels beside the existing school, St Bartholomew's School, Newbury.

St Bartholomew’s, a £40m new build secondary school with a capacity for 1650 pupils, was originally completed in 2010 with Jonathan Gratton as the lead designer and project architect. In 2013, the school approached Jonathan with the brief to extend the school with an additional exam space. With St Bartholomew’s agreement, ArchitectureLIVE further developed the project brief to encompass a new multi-purpose space to provide a dedicated foyer for school and community events, a new study area for the 6th Form, extended changing facilities, over and above the increased exam capacity.

Rendered corner and glazed entrance canopy seen from the approach road, St Bartholomew's School, Newbury.

Whilst the overriding factor for the design was to make the new extension fit in seamlessly with the existing building, the new facade design was taken one step further by integrating cutting edge Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) technology to optimise daylight, omit excess solar gain and harness the sun’s energy to produce free electricity.

High stools and tables along the full-height glazing of the sixth form social space, St Bartholomew's School, Newbury.

A new hard landscaped auditorium also provides teared seating for open air performances, using the new foyer space as a stage and back stage area. As required by West Berkshire Borough Council, Planning Department the school is certified BREEAM Very Good.

Click below to read our detailed Case Study.