Gateway Academy London

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       Architect: Adrian Warne  London

          

Gateway Academy in Thurrock has now been completed with an impressive final construction value of £24 million. Over 15,000 square metres of Rockfon ceiling tiles were specified for use throughout the entire school. The state-of-the-art ‘doughnut’ shaped building has been developed for the forthcoming merger of two under-capacity secondary schools within the town, becoming host to 1,800 students.

Lianne Toothill of Lyster, Grillet & Harding Architects, who have specified Rockfon in the past, comments on the project: “Rockfon were specified as they were the only ceiling tile on the market that had 100% humidity resistance. They were unmatched in terms of their fire resistance properties and after using them in the past we had no hesitation in using them again.” 

Six Rockfon products were specified for this project: Koral, Sonar, Polar Colour, Sonar Silence, Hygienic and Rocklink 24 Grid. Adrian Warne, Partner at LGH, noted: “All areas within the school have different requirements, and many with gentle curves. The project has Rockfon suspended ceilings throughout as these fitted the bill perfectly with a range that fulfilled the various design parameters. The ability to have a one-stop shop was really beneficial and cost efficient.”

The Sonar tile is ideally suited for use in classrooms due to its compliance with sound absorption requirement AD.E.E3. It is available in various module sizes and edge details to suit differing design options and installation needs.

Polar Colour tiles can make a dramatic difference to the impression of any room due to the variety of colours available. For this specific project, Night Blue was chosen, as Lianne explains: “The Polar Colour tile was chosen because of the colour range as it was necessary to provide Drama rooms with the option of a blackout.” Koral is a white, micro-textured tile that delivers extremely well in a number of performance areas and ensures a high level of sound absorption. It was specified for this project due to its acoustic properties and in a tegular format for aesthetic reasons. For enhanced room-to-room insulation, Sonar Silence with its specially-applied backing material was installed, while its white and slightly-textured surface helped to create a truly elegant ceiling expression.

With all schools there are areas such as kitchens and food technology rooms that require a high level of cleanliness. The Hygienic tile was specified because it fully complies with the most stringent demands for hygiene and ease of cleaning. They are durable and covered in a white surface paint incorporating fungicide to enhance resistance to any micro-organisms that may develop in environments such as this.

Interview with Adrian Warne, architect

Stunningly different and ground-breakingly contemporary, the appearance of the Gateway Academy in Thurrock truly defies convention and challenges the traditional design of educational establishments everywhere. The Academy is a unique £24-million development arranged in the shape of a doughnut and viewed as a massive G-shaped structure from above. The design was the brainchild of Lyster, Grillet and Harding Architects, a medium-sized practice that specialises in innovative and contemporary design for the education sector, with 95% of the work undertaken concentrated on this market.

The design pushes the boundaries of academic representation, and the design team faced many challenges. The new super academy is the merger of two separate schools, one in Grays and one in Tilbury, both of which were performing under capacity. The architects were approached in 2002 by Thurrock Council to undertake a feasibility study for a new secondary school which would eventually house 1,800 students. The gauntlet was accepted by the architects whose creativity was only limited by the boundaries of their imagination. 

The result: A design evolved from the experiences and vision of Adrian Warne, partner at LGH, who combined his interest in the environment with his skill in spatial design to develop a blueprint for the new
school that would fit in with the stringent requirements of the local environment and the needs of the local communities. The unification of the structure had to reflect functionality, practicality and contextual
impression – both externally and internally – as Adrian explains: “The arrangement of the principle blocks are closely-linked and enclose a large attractive landscaped court. The school is very high-profile and highlyvisible in a flat marshland site, and we had to deal with this content in the design and appearance of where it sits between the communities it serves. We have provided a building that significantly improves the education provision for pupils, teachers and the local community. The central courtyard
has provided secure, usable outside space, and the variety of teaching spaces located around the court for various academic disciplines work very well. So too, does the internal street design, linking to the core
block which incorporates a wide range of communal facilities including café, library, hall and gym.” 

It is this continuity and flow that transfers to the interior, and the innovative and clever use of the ceiling space is a noticeable and creative feature of the building. “The school has been designed with a lot of non-rectangular rooms, many with gently curving ceilings,” continues Adrian, whose work has been inspired by some of the most pioneering architects of modern times. Adrian saw the aesthetic benefits
of using the ceiling space as a visible and eye-catching feature of the overall design – and by using specialist Rockfon ceiling products, other considerations such as fire, acoustic and noise control could be
easily accommodated. 

Adrian’s inspiration comes from a very well respected source, having trained at Leicester School of  architecture under Ted Cullinan, a significant architect of the time. Throughout his career he has been influenced by some of the most farsighted architects, in particular Richard Rogers, Charles Renee Macintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright. His first significant project was the design of the Percy Rugg Design and Technology Centre at the Leys School, Cambridge in 1986, which won an RIBA regional Award. This has been followed by many projects in schools, colleges and academies in and surrounding the county of Cambridgeshire. But the Gateway Academy in Thurrock is his most imaginative to date. 

“The project has Rockfon suspended ceilings throughout, as these fitted the bill perfectly, with a range that fulfilled the various design parameters,” continues Adrian. “I truly believe that design can transform the quality of learning, and utilising every available space – including the roof area – can be hugely beneficial in terms of visual appeal and practicality. And this is what we have achieved at the Gateway Academy.” 

Six Rockfon products were specified – Koral, Sonar, Polar, Sonar Silence, Hygienic and Rocklink 24 Grid.  The Sonar tile is ideally suited for use in classrooms due to its compliance with the sound absorption requirement AD.E.E3. Available in various module sizes and edge details to suit differing design options and installation needs, Sonar is flexible and adaptable. 

Colour played a major role in the specification of the Polar Colour tiles, which can make a dramatic difference to the impression of any room due to the variety of colours available. For this specific project, Night Blue was chosen because of the colour range as it was necessary to provide specialised areas such as the drama rooms with the option of a blackout. 

Koral is a white, micro-textured tile that performs extremely well in a number of key areas and ensures a high level of sound absorption. Its acoustic properties and tegular format were perfect for the application for aesthetic reasons. For enhanced room-to-room insulation, Sonar Silence with its specially-applied backing material was installed, while its white slightly-textured surface helped to create a truly elegant ceiling expression. 

The Hygienic tile was specified because it fully complies with the most stringent demands for hygiene and ease of cleaning. For the new school, this was very important as the kitchens and food technology rooms required the highest levels of cleanliness. They are durable and covered in a white surface paint incorporating fungicide to enhance resistance to any micro-organisms that may develop in environments such as this.

The response to this futuristic and stunningly-visual school has been phenomenal and meets with  Adrian’s desire to fulfil his clients’ needs. “Understanding their detailed requirements, subsequently providing what they wanted, and then adding what they didn’t realise they could have is the backbone of excellent architecture,” he comments. “We have created an exciting and vibrant forum for learning – the architectural design of the academy is original, the materials used combine high performance with aesthetics and the school stands as a beacon in the local area.”