Wilkinson primary school has scooped first prize in the prestigious UK Passivhaus Awards 2015.  Proof, if it was needed that Architype has a very successful history of delivering high quality designs at the cutting edge of sustainable architecture which  spans right across the building spectrum.  This particular commission was for the replacement of an existing school that had fallen victim to an arson attack in 2010.

Architype had successfully encouraged the client to adopt the Passivhaus standard on two previous school projects so they had a good track record of delivering the goods.  Oak Meadow and Bushbury Hill Primary Schools (these were the first ever Passivhaus schools in the UK). Following the success of these previous builds, the client insisted on Passivhaus for Wilkinson Primary.

Aside from designing a building that would perform excellently, and offer the school a solid  sustainable future, designing a building that would help bring this community back together following the devastation of the fire was a key objective.

The building has been rationalised with Key Stage 1 and nursery on the ground floor and Key Stage 2 on the first floor, with shared hall facilities and external soft play areas. The inclusive design focuses on a central ‘hub’ space, allowing for flexibility and accommodating a range of learning techniques; focused learning, quiet break out and messy play.

A number of other design environmental considerations have been implemented into the design of Wilkinson, to improve the overall site performance and the building’s environmental impact.