Brandlehow Primary School in Putney might look like any other school in the country. Granted it’s a bit like Fort Knox trying to get in but, once inside, you’re greeted with all the usual paraphernalia that marks out a child’s formative years.
A project on the school’s wildlife garden adorns the reception window, while a display board on “how to be on time” lets the children know the merits of the old adage “early to bed, early to rise” (I was five minutes early, honest!).
In other words, to the casual observer, it’s just like a host of other educational establishments, except in miniature form: pupils still whinge, teachers still shout, and the day finishes unfeasibly early.
And yet, there’s one thing that marks Brandlehow apart from its contemporaries. Nestled between a mass of 1950s-constructed classrooms is one that stands out. The clean lines and polished aesthetics of the school’s newest classroom are down to the construction method and choice of the material. You don’t have to pass any exams to know that the material is unmistakeably timber.
While it might seem at odds with the classic bricks and mortar of the rest of the school, there’s definitely something in the design linking the two together.
This immediately becomes clear talking to the architects behind the project, Team 51.5O (the company is named after the line of latitude linking its London and Cologne offices). Although there has been a school on the site since 1902, the original three-storey brick building was destroyed in the second world war. The single-storey replacement designed by the Hungarian modernist architect, Erno Goldfinger, was built in 1952 and is now Grade II listed (and yes, Ian Fleming did appropriate his name for his megalomaniac in his book, much to Erno’s displeasure).
Goldfinger (the architect) was one of the 20th century's prime advocates of London tower blocks. He designed the often-reviled Alexander Fleming House at the Elephant and Castle, Trellick Tower in Ladbroke Grove and Balfron Tower in Tower Hamlets – many of which have since become design classics.
But he also turned his attention to schools, with the Brandlehow and another in Wandsworth as the result. The planning and structure of the Goldfinger building in Putney were all about close co-operation between the architect, the engineers and the manufacturers of the prefabricated units.
Only 10 elements were used for the entire building, which was designed for construction by hand, using only light machinery. It had to be cost-effective, and quick and easy to put up.
It was with these principles in mind that Team 51.5O approached its brief for a new infants’ classroom next to Goldfinger’s 1963 extension. Franziska Wagner, a partner at the Southwark-based practice, had initially carried out a feasibility study for a new building on the site, and when this study became a reality, was asked by Wandsworth Borough Council to get involved.
Initially, she said, there was a lot of debate with the council and English Heritage about matching the new building with the old extension. “But they slowly came round to our way of thinking,” said Wagner, who studied architecture in Germany before coming to the UK 10 years ago. “We gave the new timber building the same lines and height but a contemporary feel. In effect, we used Goldfinger’s principles about appearance, natural light and ventilation but translated them into today’s requirements.” Central among the latter, she added, was sustainability.
The new timber structure at Brandlehow, provided by Finnforest Merk, was linked to the existing building by a glazed corridor, designed to complement the old and the new. The new building is assembled from prefabricated solid timber walls and ceiling elements, which are highly insulated. Careful placement of window openings allows for different light qualities. While the large south-facing sliding doors (supplied by Alco Beldan) allow direct á
Ü access to the play space, this is juxtaposed with rooflight, bringing constant north light into the depth of
the room.
The whole structure is clad in untreated western red cedar, mitred at the corners and covering a black breathable membrane. The cladding stops about a foot from the bottom, where an aluminium plinth stretches around the base of the building. Meanwhile the roof is covered with greenery, which helps achieve a constant, comfortable climate within the room, while allowing maximum evaporation of water. The main contractor for the £280,000 contract was Cuttle McLeod Construction Ltd.
“The idea was to create a healthy learning environment, as well as one that demonstrated sustainability – and was recyclable,” explained Wagner. “You could even compost the building when it comes to the end of its life.”
She’s a firm believer in the environmental credentials of using timber. “By increasing the number of timber products, we can make an active contribution to reducing CO2 emissions,” she said. “It requires significantly less fossil energy than comparable products made from steel or concrete, thereby cutting emissions.
“By building with solid timber it is possible to offset emissions resulting from the construction process and store carbon in timber for the life of the building.”
The timber wall and ceiling building components were cut from cross-laminated solid spruce panels, up to a dimension of 4.8x20m, with thicknesses between 50-300mm. These boards were then glued with a durable adhesive bond, ensuring that the building components were dimensionally stable and resistant to warping.
The walls and ceiling were left with a natural timber surface, treated with a natural Osmo wax to prevent staining and discolouration. Meanwhile the walls in the storage areas were left with a rougher industrial-quality finish, and the walls in the corridor lines were lined with plasterboard.
Wagner believes that structural systems made from solid timber offer a fast, accurate and robust way to construct buildings – very much the elements of Goldfinger’s original design.
The bespoke manufacturing process used for the Brandlehow classroom meant that all the wall and roof
elements were pre-cut and pre-assembled in the factory. On-site erection of the structure was fast: the entire work took less than two days to put together, including the classroom and construction for the link corridor.
Timber provided other advantages as well. “The walls offer a high thermal mass for an improved internal environment,” said Wagner, “and at the same time, the solid timber offers a completely airtight envelope.
“Its permeability produces a stable and comfortable indoor climate and a healthy learning environment. The teachers even comment on the fresh smell of the room on a daily basis!”
The result is undoubtedly striking – a modern interpretation of a design classic. Using Goldfinger’s principles, Team 51.5O have created a functional, sustainable and attractive looking building, and given it a Midas touch.
