sacks MORASHA primary school, finchley
New building for a new primary school
Square Feet Architects were engaged to undertake feasibility studies on various possible sites for a newly established Jewish primary school serving local children.
A former Barnet College building on Stanhope Road - a Victorian church hall building - close to Tally Ho, was identified. With some ingenious configuration of space, including creating the school hall as a mezzanine space, and some sensitive discrete extensions to the historic fabric, a fully compliant 1-form entry school was created.
We managed to retain and enhance many of the original architectural details, such as brickwork and roof timbers, whilst introducing sympathetic modern elements to integrate learning and mixed activity areas.
The plan is arranged along a main corridor, conceived as ‘a street’ with robust finishes and lighting, and each classroom having ‘shop window’ displays onto the street.
The building has a thermal performance well in excess of the building regulations, and taking advantage of the original large glazed openings (afforded by the Victorians) the classrooms have excellent daylighting levels.
The construction was broadly traditional, seeking to enhance the historical fabric, but a contemporary curved black soldier-course brick wall provides a sympathetic but striking entrance element, guiding pupils into the rear playground and side classrooms.
The design has transformed the building into a fine, modern primary school, for now and the future, for Barnet’s pupils and teachers.
Location: Finchley London, UK
Budget: £1.8m
Area: 6000 sqft
Engineer: Conisbee
“We relocated our school from a formerly derelict building, despite the consensus saying it was impossible.”
“I’m a converted skeptic – I never believed an Architect could deliver so spectacularly” - said Jeremy Newman, Chairman of Sacks Morasha, and somebody who hadn’t had the best experiences in his personal dealings with Architects.
He elaborates: “Quite frankly, I was sceptical about the possibility of converting a derelict Victorian Building into a new site for our school. Especially as all the advice we received said it simply wasn’t possible, and particularly because my own experience of Architects wasn’t the most positive.
In fact, virtually everyone was originally nervous of the idea including our parents, teachers and the wider community.
Daniel from Square Feet Architects changed all that. He engaged with all of us, sharing his vision of exactly how it was not only achievable, but could be fantastic. And now it is indeed a reality - and every bit as fantastic as he promised. The result was overwhelmingly positive.”
