
Wren Academy
The Wren Academy, a mixture of refurb and new build on the tight site of an old school building in Finchley has created a dynamic new learning environment for over 800 11 – 16 year olds and 150 post 16 year olds. The academy specialises in the built environment and the design supports the idea of the building as part of the curriculum with an emphasis on materials, transparency and a clearly expressed structure.
A new Learning Resources Centre forms the focal heart and entrance to the building, with a series of cascading steps bringing users down into the LRC creating an amphitheatre space.
Teaching and learning spaces have been designed around maximum flexibility and adaptability to suit a variety of teaching methods and sizes. An emphasis on openness maximises views through and out of the school. A distinctive profiled roof design provides lofty, well-lit and naturally ventilated classrooms.
A simple, robust materials palette includes sinusoidal aluminium cladding and fair faced blockwork. Sustainability features include a biomass boiler, super insulating, air tightness, lighting controls, good daylighting and a BREEAM rating of Very Good.