Emmanuel Primary School, Camden

Design and development of a new school in Camden, North London for The London Diocesan Board for Schools. The Emmanuel Primary School is a single form entry Primary School, the development also included all associated external works, and open space enhancements on adjoining land.

The school was designed by Hawkins Brown Architects with Sawyer and Fisher acting as Employer’s Agent. The development also included play space close to the local primary school and a public open space that included an area of local importance for nature conservation. The playscape has been very popular with the local residents, the neighbouring school and the wider community and the natural play potential of the site has been unlocked. The adjacent open space includes a wildflower meadow and a pond for nature.

The project was located in a densely populated residential area and on a restricted site accessed via a narrow roadway which also accessed the existing Reception Class building, and an adjoining community gardening centre. The works took place in two sections, with the construction of the new school in Section 1 and the open space enhancements forming Section 2. Close liaison with the school and good relations with the adjoining residential neighbours and the local community were an integral element of the project’s success.

We carried out school engagement throughout the build, this included: a presentation on Health and Safety to individual year groups using our bespoke DVD entitled ‘Building Sites R Dangerous’, a poster competition followed to gauge how much the children learnt from the presentation and the winning posters were displayed on the site hoarding. We also donated a toy cement mixer for the outside play area.