Transformation of Temple Learning Academy - four years on
Back in 2016, ISG was awarded the £10 million contract to transform a disused leisure centre into a thriving new school in Leeds.
Awarded via the Department for Education (DfE) framework, the scheme aimed to re-use as much of the existing infrastructure from the former leisure centre as possible, and we demolished the swimming pool but retained the steel frame building and re-used the existing sports hall facility. A new three-storey steel frame extension with ribbon glazing and metal cladding elevations was constructed to the side of the existing building.
The all-through school for 1,020 students aged 4-16 years was completed in 2017.
We revisited four years on from the completion to see the school thriving, having reached capacity, a landmark moment for all involved. We spoke to Stuart Huddleston, Principal at Temple Learning Academy and Dave Noble, Director of Operations at Red Kite Learning Trust, who provide the context of the ongoing growth of the school over the past few years, thoughts on the space and reflections on the project overall.
Paul Watkins, Framework Manager at ISG, talks about how important it is to collect data on projects and monitor their performance, which the DfE champions, and how this is used to inform future design work. By listening, adapting and learning in collaboration with our peers, technical specialists and teaching professionals, we’re shaping a new era of educational spaces.
Mark Sidding, Director at Watson Batty Architects, discusses the key challenges that the team encountered when designing this project, and also explains why it’s so important to be creating spaces that enable a positive impact on the students using the space, not just now but for generations to come.
You can watch the full video here:
