Darell Primary School sits within a very constrained urban site within the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames and is bounded by Victorian and Edwardian houses on all sides. The existing largely 2 and 3 storey Edwardian school sits in the centre of the site, with classrooms wrapping around a central hall. The proposed expansion of half a form entry required some re-organisation of existing accommodation plus the provision of some new facilities. One of the challenges was that all the new floor area had to be created within the existing school footprint in order not to diminish the current external play facilities – this meant extending the school by means of a clever insertion above the existing single storey school entrance and kitchen.
The new accommodation includes a new first floor ‘glass box’ Studio and Library above the existing main entrance and
new enlarged kitchen, facing the street. The extension is book-ended by the original Edwardian School and is softened by vertical terracotta fins to compliment the warmth of the original brickwork.
Photography by Martin Gardner
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