Brecknock Children's Centre

Location: Camden, London
Client: London Borough of Camden / Brecknock School
Date: Completed 2008

This project provides new children's centre facilities within the Victorian board-school building of a well-established community school. Existing underused ground floor spaces were stripped back to create spacious new facilities and existing services upgraded. A series of new, strongly coloured spatial fragments were inserted to sit lightly with the existing building; a ‘collage’ of new pieces creating a lively, flexible teaching environment. Within this harsh urban environment, an orchard and grassy hillock gives children a chance to feel soft ground under their feet and sit under a tree during the school day. This new external teaching environment was described as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

1 2 3 4

‘The impact of this dynamic reception area with its library and play equipment for younger children invites parents to become involved in their children’s learning . . . I have nothing but praise for the architects’
Sue Ladipo, Headteacher, Brecknock School

‘The architects did a fantastic job’
Jon Snow, School Governor & Broadcaster