Briggs & Forrester Group

Walworth Academy is one of eight Ark (Absolute return for kids) Academies within the UK with the DCSF (Department for Children, Schools and Families) meeting the running costs of each academy.  This new Academy comprising of over 10,000m² of teaching space, will accommodate a total of one thousand students specialising in helping to break the cycle of under achievement in schools in the most challenging urban areas.

Built as part of the government academies programme, Walworth Academy will offer state of the art facilities.  The building consists of two blocks on three levels.  One three storey block houses a double height multi-use school hall/auditorium and dining area, drama studio and (at the rear) a full size sports hall.  On the first floor above these are light filled art rooms and the top floor is taken up by the fully equipped library. 

The other three storey block houses, at ground and first floors, classrooms for 11-14 year olds as well as three libraries and a specialist music suite.  The key stage four and five classrooms are housed on the top floor together with the sixth form common room.

The two blocks are joined by glass walkways tying the two buildings together with a courtyard play area behind and between them.

Responsible for the design, development, installation and commissioning of all the building services, Briggs and Forrester installed fully integrated mechanical, electrical, public health and central intelligent systems incorporating both sustainable and renewable energy, offering both CAPEX & OPEX value solutions.

Client:         Ark Schools/ Southwark Council Architect: BDP 

Main Contractor: Balfour Beatty Construction    

Quantity Surveyor: Turner &Townsend 

M&E Engineer:     Briggs & Forrester     

Consulting Engineer: Giffords /Briggs &Forrester