Watson Batty Architects have been appointed by principal contractor Algeco UK as lead designer for a new science block at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy, Derby which is part of St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, with Entrust Education acting as managing agent.
The new two-storey science block is to replace aging science facilities within the existing school. The new building consists of 11 specialist science teaching spaces, a general teaching room and 2 preparation areas with associated hazardous materials stores. It also includes other ancillary areas such as pupil toilets, accessible toilets, comms room, and stores. The project value is £6m and the total floor area is 1542m2.
The building construction type is modular as part of the Modern Methods of Construction drive by the Department for Education and wider Education Trusts around the country. The benefits of this approach are shorter site programmes, which in turn give less disruption to the school on a live site. It also gives design consistency and improved quality due to the units being constructed off-site in a factory environment. Excluding foundations, this building was constructed on site in just 9 days, giving a weather-tight two-storey super structure in a much greater accelerated timeframe over traditional construction methods.
The project is due to be completed in summer 2024, ready for the start of the new academic year.
