The Challenge
The new Hillhead Primary School was created to bring together 4 existing primary schools and 2 nursery schools in the West End of Glasgow. All of these schools were Victorian buildings on tight sites within constricted playgrounds, and all had declining pupil numbers.
The Solution
The building is designed to respond to the constraints and strengths of the site. The solution straddles the two contrasting characteristics of the site – the urban front and the garden rear. It locates the teaching spaces in the park to derive maximum learning opportunities presented by the unique natural setting.
The Outcome
The scale and massing of the building’s parts enhance and strengthen the natural and physical qualities of this complex site without compromising the programme for a primary teaching environment. The school enhances the children’s everyday relationship with their community, through the sights and sounds of the environment.