The original main campus buildings at The Kings of Wessex Academy date from the 1960s.
Being of modular flat roof construction with timber windows & concrete tile hanging, the main teaching block & science block were in a very poor state of repair and required an innovative approach to bring them up to current standards and provide them with another 50 years of use.
By careful investigation and analysis, we worked with structural engineers and window specialists to establish a curtain-wall cladding system that could be used to envelope the original modular structure.
This major refurbishment project was carefully phased to ensure the works were safely and successfully completed whilst the school was in full operation.
The results are spectacular. Not only does the approach to the main campus now look completely contemporary and updated, but also the internal teaching environment has been transformed.
Solar controlled glass, incorporated on the south & west elevations, has greatly reduced over-heating and glare in the summer months (which had been a significant problem with the original building fabric) whilst the new remodelled facades have made dramatic improvements to the building’s acoustic performance.
The rotten windows and failing tile cladding have been replaced by a fresh, modern glazing / curtain-wall system that is low-maintenance, well-insulated and very stylish. The contrasting areas of new laminate cladding panels have a bold pattern that represents the grey limestone strata of nearby Cheddar Gorge and the Mendip Hills.
