Innovaré Systems - Kings CE School
Project Details
Project - Kings CE School, Kidsgrove
Architect - Maber
Project Manager - Interserve
Supplier - Innovaré Systems
Technology - SIPS
Project Overview
The newly rebuilt 3 storey Kings CE (A) school has state-of-the-art facilities that will greatly enhance the educational opportunities of the young people of Kidsgrove and surrounding areas. The school features a modern hall with retractable theatre style seating; an open-plan learning resource centre overlooking spacious dining facilities; and specialist teaching rooms for all subjects.
The new school has the capacity for 900 pupils. The large atrium creates a sense of gravitas and occasion. Dedicated lecture seating in the hall, a four-court sports hall and dance studio range amongst the new facilities built for pupils. There is also a dedicated study and lecture rooms for sixth form students and a range of facilities opened up to the community, including a training bistro, and hair and beauty salon.
The scheme is distinctive for its size and use of timber building materials, whilst integrating steel and concrete stairs and floors. i-SIP was specified to significantly reduce the risk of settlement in this 3 storey megastructure, whilst value engineering of the steel reduced cost, managing to remove up to 70% of steel from the original design. Thermal modelling by Innovaré facilitated the design of key junction details that minimised cold bridging., creating an airtight, thermally efficient building envelope across the entire structure.
Through i-SIP, Innovaré has proven its capability to address the government's Facilities Output Specification with an off-site built system. The F.O.S. is a stringent standard outlining technical performance covering internal environment, daylighting, acoustics, ventilation and thermal comfort requirements within specific budgetary guidelines; the Education Funding Agency has acknowledged that i-SIP is the only off-site system to fully meet its exacting standards.
The Kings CE(A) incorporates a flexible structural grid to ensure a range of future modifications are possible. Simple structural interfaces were used to enable future adaptations with limited disruption. Designing in service runs optimised speed onsite and M&E design. The capability to 'clad anywhere' onto the i-SIP panel system ensures the main contractor's capability to mix and match the outward appearance whilst keeping options open for different solutions in the future.
The school pupils themselves were given a glimpse of how their new school would look when they visited the Innovaré factory in Coventry to see how the i-SIP panels are made and learned to use CAD software to design some panelised buildings of their own, receiving a real identification with their new school and being able to handle and sign their classroom panels.
