GRESHAM’S SCHOOL, HOLT, NORFOLK

Project: The Britten Building Gresham’s School, New Music School and Sixth Form Centre
Client: Gresham’s School
Services provided: Project Management, Quantity Surveying
Contract value:  £5m

Daniel Connal Partnership was appointed to project manage and provide QS services on this double award winning project by lsi architects for Gresham’s School in North Norfolk – The Britten Building.

The brief for this new learning and teaching space was to design and construct an inspirational building to fulfill the school’s aspirations to deliver a first class modern music and sixth form academic curriculum.

Using western red cedar and brickwork for the external elevations, the impressive building has been designed to sit comfortably amongst and enhance the wide range of architectural styles found within the school including the Grade II listed School Chapel.

Providing 14,000²ft of accommodation spread across two floors, the Britten Building houses six classrooms, 10 music teaching rooms, a recording studio, a 140 seat auditorium/lecture theatre, a foyer/café, offices and meeting rooms.

White walls and ceilings use accent colours and natural oak features to create dramatic internal spaces.  The scheme incorporates high levels of natural daylight, excellent ventilation and oak joinery to create a fresh, uplifting atmosphere conducive to learning.

Sound insulation, acoustic performance and acoustic comfort were all essential parts of the brief for this dual use building and were considered from the outset.   Acoustic excellence was achieved by

• design of floor layout creating natural barriers between noisy and other spaces
• mechanical rather than natural ventilation in appropriate areas
• extensive use of acoustic oak panelling

The scheme has also been designed to be highly energy efficient and low maintenance to meet the school’s sustainability aspirations.

Managing both project programme and budget, DCP co-ordinated the design team, main contractor and specialist suppliers and contractors, and are proud to have delivered this exciting building on time and within a £5m budget.

The Britten Building Gresham’s School was opened by HRH The Princess Royal.

The project was Highly Commended  at the Architectural Acoustics Awards 2017 and took the prize in the New Non-Residential category at the Norfolk Association of Architects’ Design & Craftmanship Awards 2017.