Bromsgrove School – Latest Projects

The last twelve months has seen the completion of a wide range of projects at Bromsgrove School. Schemes handed over to the school included refurbishments of Wendron Gordon, a senior school boarding house, a common room space for the senior school and an extended school shop.

Above, internal and external photos of Wendron Gordon

Above, internal photo of the new senior school common room

Above, external photos of the extended school shop

Robothams have worked with Mace and E G Carter, contractors based in Gloucester to deliver these projects.

Photos courtesy of E G Carter and Andrew Haines.

Sladewood Academy, Stroud

The practice have been appointed by Speller Metcalfe through the GCC Contractor Framework to design a new school for primary age children with Moderate and Additional Learning Difficulties (MALD) in Stroud. The school will be created through the refurbishment of the former Severn View School on the eastern side of the town and provide pupil places for 60 pupils.

It will be operated by the SAND Academies Trust who already run SEN schools in Gloucestershire including the Milestone School, Belmont School and the Willow School. Renamed Sladewood Academy the school will open to new pupils in summer 2023, following refurbishment beginning in April.

The refurbishment will include reconfiguration of teaching spaces and WC’s, realignment of secure lines,  creation of break out spaces, services upgrades and external envelope works. Robothams have liaised with the team from the County Council, the Academy Trust and Speller Metcalfe to develop the design from concept through to working drawings for construction.

Above, photos of the existing school building before refurbishment.

Ground Floor Social space completes at Aston University

Our team has just handed over a new space for students at Aston University. The area is to offer a range of futureproof, multifunctional space to enable a variety of different learning activities to take place in order to meet students’ varied learning needs and study preferences.  The scheme includes;

  • Formal and informal individual and group work spaces
  • Group working areas with AV provision
  • Designed to allow for potential ‘out of hours’ use

We have worked with a project team including PMP Consultants, Couch Perry & Wilkes, Tracey Kirby Consulting and Interclass Construction.

Above, images of the completed scheme at handover.

Appointment to design the next phase of Albany Theatre redevelopment

Robothams Architects have been appointed by the Albany Theatre, Coventry to design the next phase of this important arts venue’s redevelopment. The City Council’s decision to provide funding support for the project and planning consent granted in November 2020 has resulted in the scheme proceeding in 2021. The first phase will bring improvements to the existing Studio Theatre, 3 new Studios, a new Café and improved audience and community facilities. Subsequent phases will deliver a new entrance from Albany Road and seek to consolidate the back of house spaces.

Above, an image of the proposed new entrance for the theatre. 

Above, an image of the theatre’s first phase completed in 2018, lighting design by Stewart Associates.

Project completions at Bromsgrove and Winterfold House Schools

This year has seen two further completions at Bromsgrove School and her sister school, Winterfold House School, a preparatory school in Chaddesley Corbett. Both have been handed over despite COVID-19 and within live educational environments.

Completed in October the Ottilie Hild girls day house was a conversion and extension of a former staff common room building. Set within the school’s mature, historic landscape the building faces  the central grassed space.  Contractor E G Carter worked across the school site from summer 2019 until the hand-over of this section in the autumn.

Concept 3D view of the extended building.

Images of the completed project with existing and new build elements.

Earlier in the year O’Brien Contractor, completed a refurbishment of Winterfold House School’s Kindergarten, creating vibrant internal and external spaces.

Above, an image of the refurbished Kindergarten.

Agile working at Aston University

In April 2020 Robothams were commission by the University  to work with PLACEmaking interior designers to design work space and meeting areas to support agile working as a prototype for future development across the campus.  We acted as contract administrator for the projects delivery with Interclass Plc acting as main contractor. The scheme was handed over in October 2020.

Above, photos of the completed scheme.

Winchcombe School expansion project on Site

Work is progressing on the construction of new facilities for Winchcombe School. The refurbishment and extension of the hall space has been completed, providing a new connection to the School’s quad space. Currently work is focused on the extension of the science department and the new sports hall.

Main contractor, E G Carter are due to complete the works in 2021.

Above, site photos of the sports hall taken 5th November 2020

Above, a 3D image of the completed sports hall.

Tachbrook wins BCO Refurbishment and Recycling Award

Tachbrook Park has been awarded the prestigious BCO Refurbished and Recycled Award for the Midlands and Central England.  The award recognises – “A corporate or commercial building where significant works have been carried out to adapt the existing building to modern office use. ”

Completed in 2019 the building provides accommodation for Kantar in Warwick. The project was commissioned by Kames Capital and MCS Group and delivered in two phases.

Robothams were commissioned to undertake the detailed design of the CAT A and CAT B works, developing initial designs prepared by BDG and ESA.

Above, images of the completed building which included demolition of parts of the three storey building, extensions to form a new entrance and atrium and refurbishment of all floors.

Cotswold School expansion receives planning consent

Gloucestershire County Council has granted planning consent for the application to expand The Cotswold School in Bourton on the Water by one form of entry. Robothams have acted as the agent for the planning application as well as designing the elements of the scheme.

Robothams were appointed in 2019 by Speller Metcalfe and Gloucestershire County Council to design a one form of entry expansion to the ‘Outstanding’ Academy school in the Cotswold village of Bourton on the Water. The practice engaged with the school to define the brief undertaking a BB103 analysis of the existing accommodation and analysis of the site. Our initial assessment identified the need for enhanced / expanded science accommodation, additional general teaching rooms and a shortfall in sport facilities.

The scheme will therefore deliver a new 10 classroom building including resources base and staff accommodation, an additional science laboratory and a new activity studio and changing rooms. The practice sought and gained planning consent from Gloucestershire County County Council with a start on site made in September 2020.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the functional brief the building needed to address the Cotswold vernacular and the context of the sites location in the AONB. The facades combined render, architectural masonry and standing seam metal roofs to complement earlier developments at the school and meet local authority requirements.

The buildings will also meet the County Council expectations that new facilities should exceed the energy and thermal performance  set out in the building regulations with integration of renewables and enhanced building envelope.

The project is due for completion in 2021.

 

RDA Lowlands is completed on site

The new national office for RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) has now been handed over to the charity at its site Lowlands near Warwick. Earlier phases saw the refurbishment and extension of an indoor menage, however the final phase gives RDA training and office space and creates a contemporary face for the public visiting the site.

Construction work was undertaken by Greswolde Construction, with a consultant team including Starkey Button, Couch Consulting and Greenways.