King's College School, Wimbledon - new music school
This award-winning timber structure is exemplary for the achievement of client vision, innovative architecture and structural design.
Sectors
Location
London, United Kingdom
Client
King's College School, Wimbledon
Architect
Hopkins Architects
The project objective was to create a state-of-the-art music facility for a leading academic school in the UK. The new building is arranged over three floors, comprising a suite of sound-proofed practice rooms, a stunning concert hall (which can accommodate an audience of 200 alongside a 70-piece orchestra), specialist classrooms, the new porters' lodge and staff administration/office spaces.
The site presented a variety of engineering challenges caused by the high-water table. This required engineering solutions to prevent flooding, floatation and an integrated surface water drainage system. The geotechnical solutions had to be sympathetic to the make-up of the ground, which included clay and gravel.
Barney Jordan commented, "The key success of this project is the integrated design approach between Cundall, the architect, the school and the wider project team. The highly sustainable structural timber diagrid roofs are particularly elegant - achieving the desired acoustics while minimising the overall massing of the buildings."
The process was collaborative through to final completion and has resulted in a beautiful and functional structure that will nurture a love of music and building design for generations to come.
