Mauchline Primary School

Barr is in the final stages of completion of a project to extend Mauchline Primary School. The project is also in the process of obtaining a final BREEAM rating and score.

Key project details:
Basic building cost £2,105/m²
Services costs £367/m²
External works £368/m²
Gross floor area (existing building) 2,066m²
Gross floor area (new building) 1,423m²
Total site area 1.2ha
Area of teaching spaces 1,740m²
Area of circulation (existing building) 435m²
Area of circulation (new building) 218m²
Area of storage 206m²
Predicted electricity consumption 46kWh/m²/year
Predicted fossil fuel consumption 0.0061kWh/m²
Predicted renewable energy generation 0kWh/m²
Predicted water use 3m³ per pupil, per year

Description of the project and building:
The existing primary school is of sandstone construction and traditional in its appearance. Originally constructed in Victorian times, it was subsequently extended in the 1920s and has had further buildings added in more recent years in the playground areas, comprising a nursery, assembly hall and additional teaching accommodation. During the design and development of the project, significant consideration was given to the existing buildings and location within Mauchline.

The fundamental design concept behind the proposals for the reconfiguration and extension of Mauchline Primary School was driven by the desire to create a stimulating, challenging, rewarding and above all unique educational environment for all users of the building. This concept is further underpinned by several key considerations including:

  • Excellent educational functionality in all respects
  • The creation of a wide variety of external spaces
  • A recognition of the crucial importance of natural light and ventilation
  • The desire to create a total transformation of the existing site and building, whilst also retaining those aspects of the current building's character that are of great importance to both the school and the wider community.
In addition, a new lightweight, elegant structure was inserted into the centre of the 'doughnut' to create a vibrant, stimulating, top-lit and very flexible space, totally transforming this part of the school.

The project invovled both consolidating the new addition into a compact area and maximising the size (and content) of the existing play space. The project provides a number of benefits:

  • The creation of a new drop-off facility, together with additional parking, all of which enjoy the benefits of a mature townscape setting
  • A clear delineation between vehicles and pedestrians is created within this expanded site arrangement
  • Safe access to play spaces directly from adjacent pavements and drop-off areas is provided for all children
  • Improved civic presence for the school, and a stronger visual connection to its community
  • The history of the site is duly acknowledged by the relocation of the existing Covenanters' plaques into a more prominent location as part of a new entrance portal feature that further emphasises the main entry axis.
The new extension to the school is a significant construction in its own right, substantially improving the accommodation available, both to the school and to the local community.  Essentially., the new extension consolidates all of the more public aspects of the school into a self-contained identifiable whole, providing a number of facilities including a combined assembly/gymnasium space, staff facilities, medical suite, administration are and nursery accommodation.

Key innovative and low impact design features:
  • Rainwater recovery
  • Electrical blinds

Steps taken during the construction process to reduce environmental impact:
  • Waste minimisation and recycling programme, including site waste management plan
  • Monitoring and measurement of water, energy and fuel usage in order to drive resource efficiency
  • Pollution prevention emergency plan

Details of social or economic measures achieved/piloted:
  • A site visit was undertaken by pupils