St George’s The Ark

IID were invited to an open competition to produce a masterplan for the school. Having won this, we were asked to complete Phase I of the masterplan – designing new early years accommodation with a refurbishment of the existing nursery.

The Ark is set back to maintain views across the playing fields, with balconies and learning courtyards enabling outdoor learning alongside airy modern classrooms, an IT suite and the Rainbow assembly room.

We had a wonderful time designing interiors themed around the rainforest, woodland, savannah and sky to get the children’s imaginations running riot. The Media Collective produced some beautiful vinyls featuring everything from lemurs to butterflies to kingfishers.

The Ark was blessed and formally opened by Cardinal Cormac Murphy with the laying of a time capsule to be opened in 2066.

‘The opening and blessing of The Ark by Cardinal Cormac is a real celebration of how St George’s is building for future generations.
It is the culmination of a journey lasting nearly five years since initial planning began, and the joy on the faces of the pupils and staff as they sang ‘Rise & Shine’ enthused all the guests who witnessed it’

Can I just say what a great job you are doing chasing down all this detail – I’m sure it’s a frustrating business but it is certainly appreciated and admired by us all at St George’s.’