Location
Winscombe, Somerset

Client / Professional Team
Sidcot Sixth Form

Construction Value
£2.2M

Our Role
MEP design inc. thermal modelling, lighting design & infrastructure

Sidcot School was established in 1808 by the Quaker community to educate boys and girls within a beautiful rural campus that sits among the Mendip Hills, with easy access to the cities of Bristol and Bath. The school has evolved since its inception, with a long-established programme of accommodation and facility improvement. The most recent development being the full external and internal refurbishment of the Sixth Form Centre.

Design Foundry were approached by LED Architects to support this sensitive and challenging project. The original 1960s three-storey building was stripped back to its original concrete frame, this included the complete removal of all the existing MEP services. Our brief was to align with the school’s commitment to sustainability whilst creating modern, flexible multi-functional study spaces.

Our design duties commenced with the scoping of demolition works, including the safe isolation of existing services within the centre and reinforcement of exiting electrical and heating infrastructure to support the new facility’s requirements. To meet the school’s sustainability criteria, we undertook thermal modelling of the new building’s fabric, providing feedback and design integration with LED Architects, introducing new brise soleil to the south façade to control overheating.

We prioritised energy-efficient systems, including high quality lighting, climate control, and energy monitoring were incorporated to minimise the centre’s environmental footprint while maintaining optimum performance. Externally, we integrated a substantial PV installation mounted upon the new zinc roof.

Internally, we were tasked to design integrated systems to work seamlessly in supporting the centre’s multifunctional spaces. From dynamic lighting systems that adapt to different study zones, to advanced heating and ventilation solutions, every element was carefully considered to enhance both comfort and productivity. Flexible power and data points were