Houlton School

Rugby, England

Key Facts

Client

Morgan Sindall

Architect

van Heyningen and Haward

Programme

54 Weeks

Value

£3.4m

Scope

GRG coving & repair existing covings
Traditional lime & modern plastering
Pavatherm wood fibre board
Fermacell linings
SFS by EOS
British Gypsum partitions & ceilings
Inc. 3000m2 of Rigitone ceilings
Bespoke acoustic baffles and rafts
Rockfon Lay in grid ceilings

Completion

October 2021

The Project

A new secondary school campus for 1260 pupils, based on the creative adaption of the listed former Rugby Radio Station. The design minimised energy use by combining a transformative thermal upgrade of the historic building with the addition of three highly performing teaching blocks. The project restored the historic facades, preserving the industrial character of the principal spaces, and provides excellent school and community facilities.

As the historic buildings have handsome facades and solid brickwork walls, a wood-fibre and lime plaster internal insulation system was specified. This removed the risks of condensation damage to the listed fabric. Within this new lining, the new spaces were defined by a range of contemporary drywall partitions and ceilings. The lining installation was made complex by the brickwork walls’ complexity, historic steelwork, stringent fire and acoustic requirements, and the need to replicate and repair both lime and cement render mouldings.

vHH prepared detailed drawings for each element, engaging with Morgan Sindall and DCL at pre-construction stage, using trials and mock-ups to test these. vHH’s constructive engagement with the DCL team on site was fundamental to the air tightness and visual quality of the finished project.

DCL were excellent to work with throughout, and in the execution stage the project benefitted from their skills and experience, and their willingness to work together as we discovered challenges within the historic fabric.

James McCosh

Partner, van Heyningen and Haward

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