Armadale Academy

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Armadale, West Lothian

Value:

Completion Year: Active Project

West Lothian Council has awarded their £60m schools project to HDM Schools Solutions Limited. The project comprises the construction of two new build secondary schools, Armadale Academy and Deans Community High School and the Facilities Management contract for the schools.

Dawn Construction, Hochtief and Mackenzie Partnership established HDM School Solutions Ltd as a Special Purpose Company to deliver this project.

Armadale Academy is situated at the edge of the small town of Armadale, West Lothian. The existing school houses approximately 800 pupils, however to allow for the future expansion of residential developments on neighbouring sites, the new school will accommodate up to 1200 pupils,

The new academy is due for completion in the summer of 2009, with outdoor sports pitches and the car park being developed as Phase 2.

The new school is situated at the top of the site, and is very exposed to the elements. The design is a direct result of this and is formed around a tight courtyard, which provides a sheltered outdoor social space for the pupils. The courtyard is an extension of the main internal social and dining space in the heart of the building. A timber clad library projects into the courtyard at first floor level and is the main focal point of this space. Three wings of classroom accommodation, extending to 3 storeys, are wrapped around the courtyard increasing the sense of enclosure to the outside space. The main social space also acts a as buffer between the classrooms and the more noisy activities in the school such as the sports accommodation, assembly and music spaces.

The sports accommodation consists of a games hall, a gymnasium, dance and fitness studios and a 20m swimming pool, as well as 3 outdoor grass pitches and an all weather synthetic pitch.

The new school sits at the rear of the site, at approximately 12m above street level. A series of tiered car parking blocks step up the site towards the school, however the impact of these is minimised by the integral design of the landscape. Further advantages of the site levels are taken with the addition of an outdoor viewing platform that hovers above the all weather pitch. The landscape design has been developed in conjunction with an ecologist to enhance the environmental impact and improve the setting for the development.

The sports facilities, both indoor and outdoor, are scheduled and designed for use outwith school hours by the local community.

During construction Phase, Dawn Construction has employed numerous processes to reduce the impact of construction operation on the surrounding environment.