Manor Lodge School Coach House LRC and New Entrance

Manor Lodge came to us after seeing our work at Haberdashers’ Girls’ School.  They were keen to make the children’s education more visible and to place a learning resource centre right at the very centre of the school.  The ideal location was already occupied by an old hall building.  Whilst the easiest option would have been demolition, we addressed the more challenging question of what could be created by re-using the existing structure.

The original steel frame supports a glazed roof, reducing the project’s environmental impact and cost. Re-use was a key part of planning. All new elements of the building use a ‘fabric first’ approach meaning the performance of every material is maximised.  Where mechanical ventilation is required, it uses heat recovery and a smart Building Management System so that the building’s energy can be re-used too.

The brick archway of the old hall forms the new entrance to the school and is echoed by a modern frameless glazed archway beyond.  By repurposing the hall’s old steel frame, IID created a bright central space which is fully accessible.  Offices and classrooms were rearranged around this area and dark narrow corridors turned into break out spaces. You now gain a real sense of activity as you enter the school.

The building was a finalist in the 2021 Building Awards and 2021 Building Design Architect of the Year Awards and our clients were delighted with the news:

I am so thrilled for you and for IID, what a recognition of the outstanding team you are. We certainly felt that when we worked with you on the Coach House project that we were surrounded with professionalism.