Westminster City School, London
Westminster City School is one site forming part of Westminster City Council's extensive BSF programme, and will be one of the first remodelled BSF schools to be completed in central London. Bouygues UK engaged in a highly collaborative and inclusive consultation process, bringing together the council, design team, school community and stakeholders to achieve a clear educational vision for the school.
This comprehensive school is located on a restricted urban site, just off Victoria Street in central London, with the main building dating from 1870, with further buildings added in a piecemeal manner to the back of the site as the school expanded.
Due to the age of its buildings and the restricted nature of its site, the school was constrained in its curriculum offer. BSF investment has allowed the school to expand in pupil numbers to 850, mainly through better sixth form provision and add appropriate facilities for sport, music, and ICT. This new accommodation has allowed space to be freed up in the retained buildings so that they can be refurbished to be more suitable for current teaching practices.
The most challenging but rewarding part of the new build elements is the sports hall. In order not to further compromise the already limited external hard play areas, this new space was proposed to be at the front of the site, using a deep basement construction so as to maintain the height restrictions dictated by the existing street space.
The new accommodation comprises:
- main school reception with administration suite
- main ICT department
- sixth form centre
- sports hall
- drama studio
- changing facilities
- music department
- additional internal and external dining space
- roof garden
- staff offices
The new building has been designed to be modern yet respectful of its Victorian surroundings. The planning process brought some challenging questions which have resulted in a modern building that we feel sits well in its historic streetscape, yet is of its time. The result is an attractive school campus with a strong community presence, confident identity, good external spaces, bright public spaces, and modern teaching and learning spaces which can accommodate 21st century education.
