Davis Langdon provided cost management services and VAT advice on the project.
The BCSE awards, now in their second year, were held on Wednesday 24 June at the Emirates Stadium and were hosted by designer, Wayne Hemingway. Over 170 entries were received for the awards, spread across 13 different categories.
Ian Fordham, deputy chief executive of the BCSE, commented:
"The entries this year were a welcome opportunity to celebrate great work by architects, suppliers, construction firms, local authorities, teachers and pupils, despite these challenging times.
There was - rightly - robust debate amongst the judging panel. The result is a short list which can act as a gold standard reference point for anybody involved in the school design and construction process.
Congratulations to all the winners."
The St Mary Magdalene Academy is a new co-educational academy for 1,400 students from early years through to sixth form in Islington, London. The project involved the demolition of existing buildings with sustainability being a major consideration for the project. In addition to biomass boilers, photo voltaic cells and highly sustainable cladding and curtain walling, the new school is naturally ventilated to ensure the minimum carbon footprint. The existing school remained open and operational throughout the works and was demolished once the first phase was handed over in September 2007. Final completion was October 2008. Other companies that worked on the project were:
- Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios; Architects
- Buro Happold: Structural and Services Engineers
- Davis Langdon; Cost Consultants
- Mace Plus; Contractors
Ian Taylor of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios commented on the win saying:
“We are delighted that the school has won a BCSE Inspiring Design Award. This tight urban site held a series of challenges for the development of a through school environment, and we are pleased that the hard work by the sponsor, local authority, and DCSF is rewarded by the appreciation shown by the pupils and staff for the learning environments that have been created, the calmness and variety of the spaces, the views out to the community, and the daylight spilling into the interior. We hope that they will develop varied and wonderful uses for the facilities, and that the school will become a central part of the community in Islington, and play its part in transforming secondary education in the Borough.”
David Long, Partner at Davis Langdon said:
“St Mary Magdalene Academy provides a high quality and sustainable school environment on a constrained urban site to an affordable budget. The design solution balances the individual needs of the co-located ‘all-through’ school groups. The project is a great example of what can be achieved in a spirit of positive collaboration. Most importantly the school is open and delivering first class education in an inspiring environment”
The BCSE is a charity and membership organisation made up of schools, local authorities, construction companies, architects, and all those involved in - and passionate about - designing excellent learning environments. It acts as a forum for exchange, dialogue and advocacy for anyone interested in learning environments; from educators to policy makers, users to designers, managers to constructors. The BCSE exists to research, communicate and develop best practice in all aspects of school design and construction. Their mission is to stimulate continuous improvement in the commissioning, design, construction and use of school facilities and promote the link between excellence in teaching and learning and the learning environment.
