A new 6th form centre for Richmond School in North Yorkshire which showcases a radical design has been officially by Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague.

A multi-disciplinary project team from Faithful+Gould and Atkins undertook extensive master-planning and re-modelling of the existing campus, which contains a diverse range of buildings reflecting architectural trends of the last 70 years.

Faithful+Gould's Lead Technical Advisor, Paul Shillito commented: "The project presented the challenge of upgrading a complex set of existing buildings in a live school to a fixed budget. Minimising disruption to the day-to-day activities was top of the agenda and informed the way we carried out work."


Atkins' Project Lead John Ross added: "Our design needed to be sensitive to the existing features of this 1940s school, whilst updating it to create a 21st century specialist 6th form facility. The secret was to retain the building's distinctive identity whilst integrating it into a unified campus for Richmond School."

Mr Hague said: "This is the first stage of the important redevelopment of Richmond School. It has been built on schedule and to budget, providing the sort of environment our young people should have to aid their studies."

Facilities for the 350 6th form students include a welcoming reception, bistro and internet café with wide screen TV, computer/common room, quiet study area and offices. Classrooms boast desks with hidden computer screens, interactive white boards and projectors. A 300 seater theatre will be used for performances and assemblies. There are also dance studios and changing facilities adjacent to the stage.

(CD/GK)