Dorothy Goodman new special school
Education
Dorothy Goodman Special Needs School, Leicestershire.
The success of the building design lies in the close collaboration between ourselves, the headteacher and business manager, teaching staff and the pupils themselves. Together, we have created a sensitive, purposeful and stimulating learning environment which meets the needs of pupils, from 11-16 years, with a whole spectrum of learning difficulties. It was a joy to be presented with enthusiastic design input from a sixteen year-old prefect at one of our meetings.
The design uses innovative features such as oversized, textured roof lights to create distraction teaching tools. All of the classrooms face South, with solar shading, to capture the beautiful meadow panorama, bringing the outside into the teaching spaces.
The building is defined by separate materials, textures and colours to identify different use of spaces.
Funding was secured through a successful Academy CIF bid to relocate the existing school onto a new site.
The landscaping and lighting design allows for the protection of existing bat species found on the site.
- Sensory and multi-sensory suites
- Therapy suite
- Illuminated sensory garden
- Main hall and studio with folding screen to open into a single space
- Community use hall and meeting rooms
- All classrooms with passive ventilation
- Wide corridors and easy-mapping circulation
- Specialist, dedicated areas for art, science, food technology and DT
Role: Architects, Contract Administrators
