Donhead Prepatory School | Phillips Tracey Architects

The site is occupied by Donhead Preparatory School, on Edge Hill, which is south of Ridgway and lies to the south west of Wimbledon Village. This education scheme involved the part demolition of the school’s single storey Diamond Jublilee Building and existing entrance foyer, internal alterations and the construction of a new two storey extension with a chapel, auditorium and art room.

The school is of 19th Century build with early 20th Century extensions. The main entrance has been adjusted to provide an improved reception and covered walkway, with the main reception office now positioned to the front of the entrance. We have incorporated a number of modest alterations within the existing building to improve circulation and provide new amenities and a modernised boiler room to house upgraded equipment. New roof lights above the single storey elements of the reception and main circulation spaces provide natural light. 

We have introduced a new stair core on the ground floor, to link the Donhead Lodge Building with four classrooms within the Diamond Jubilee Building. An additional art room building has been built in the center of the grounds and this fronts a new landscaped courtyard. The newly enclosed brickwork elevations of the older building are preserved within the new art room to highlight the historic development of the school building.

The new chapel, auditorium and sacristy have been built above the ground floor accommodation of the Diamond Jubilee Building. The mezzanine level of the new art room block also connects to the new first floor. The existing classroom at the south west end of the Donhead Lodge Building is reduced in size to form a new link from the existing first floor accommodation to the new stair core and new accommodation. A further new corridor link behind the Ignatius Building and above the new reception provides wheelchair access from the existing lift position to the new first floor accommodation, as well as providing additional direct access to the existing Donhead Building.

Local and recycled building materials with a Green Guide rating have been used in the construction. The scheme is highly sustainable, energy efficient and improves access to all parts of the school. The scheme has been positively developed in consultation with the Local Authority to meet a range of aspirations and provide a positive economic, social and environmental role. We believe our clear design solution will provide a positive precedent for good design throughout the borough.