Design Features
The school extension was designed specifically to suit the sloping site and to meet the needs of the growing school roll without losing much of the existing playground. The contractor was constrained by limited site access as the existing school had to remain operational during construction. The site is bounded by housing on three sides and has a large public children's play park to the south at the rear of the building.
Key features of the design are attention to detail in terms of materials and construction, to create a 'healthy' building with good indoor air quality and natural light. When required the design team was supplemented with specialists in order to achieve the desired outcome, and the benefits of this are borne out in the results.
Natural daylight and ventilation to all new internal spaces is provided through generous glazing and openable windows. The classrooms are large and brightly lit, with pitched roofs providing additional volume on the two upper floor classrooms. Natural ventilation is supplemented by roof-mounted "windcatchers" in the Games Hall, where diffused glazing provides glare-free natural light in conjunction with sensor controlled lighting. 
Acoustic, 'climate regulating' ceilings are provided in all principal rooms using proprietary wood-wool boards, which allow the whole ceiling to absorb and re-emit moisture. This helps to provide a draught-free sensation of fresh air in the Games Hall and classrooms. The roof construction is a "breathing wall" system utilizing pre-fabricated cassette panels incorporating engineered timber beams and cellulose insulation. The ability of the structure to 'breathe' is considered particularly important in classroom areas due to recent concerns regarding air quality and carbon dioxide levels.
Another important consideration in the design of the extension was the need to avoid the overheating problems associated with the atrium and south-facing classrooms of the existing building. The solid masonry construction specified was intended to provide thermal mass and help to reduce temperature fluctuations in the new accommodation.
Choice of Site
On existing school site.
Materials
In accordance with a general approach taken by the Council, an emphasis was placed on sustainability and the specification of green and 'healthy' materials, a strategy which links well with the 'Eco-schools' programme with which the primary school is involved. The basic construction for walls and roof are as follows:
- External walls: Solid Masonry walls (215mm Brickwork) with external insulation and acrylic render finish.
- A Siberian larch cladding supplied by Russwood of Newtonmore, was used on bay windows in the nursery, with Nor-Dan, factory finished timber double-glazed windows and external doors.
- Internal walls: loadbearing walls are solid masonry with plaster or impact resistant plasterboard finish. Non-loadbearing partitions are metal stud with impact-resistant plasterboard finish and mineral fibre acoustic insulation.
- Roof: Terne coated stainless steel standing seam roof on plywood deck over prefabricated timber roof cassette panels with Masonite beams and cellulose insulation.
- Powder coated aluminium rainwater goods, fascias and soffits.
- Ceiling: acoustic "climate regulating" woodwool panels to classrooms and games hall. Conventional acoustic suspended ceiling grid to corridors for access to the services above
- Timber ground floor, with pre-cast concrete first floor.
- Floor finish: linoleum or carpet with recycled backing. Hardwood sports floor in games hall.
- Pinboards are manufactured from recycled materials.
All materials were selected on the basis of durability and ease of maintenance.