Founded in 1888, The Skinners’ School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent gained its highly-respected reputation by becoming the first voluntary-aided grammar school under the 1944 Education Act. The all-boys establishment caters for more than 1,000 pupils and in recognition of its excellent teaching standards, was recently awarded specialist status in science and mathematics. As part of an extension of its learning facilities, the school appointed Bell Phillips Architects to design a new three-storey building for the site’s public frontage. It will contain a sixth-form centre, an English department and a library.
The new development’s design is based on a gothic revival style of the original school buildings. It constitutes matching brick with a strong emphasis on verticality and repetition. For this attractive and modern representation of a heritage aesthetic, IG Masonry Support supplied its B.O.S.S pre-fabricated brick slip soffit system (plus ancillary support) to achieve intricate brick detailing on the façade of the new building’s north and west gable.
The Challenge
Working in conjunction with the architect, IG Masonry Support needed to resolve an issue involving 45-degree angled brick columns which featured as part of the north and west gables’ façade. The unusual design required an inspired, bespoke solution. IG Masonry Support’s lightweight stainless-steel B.O.S.S was more than capable of facilitating the façades’ intricate detail but to fully complement the surrounding brickwork, consideration needed to be given to coursing on the brick slip soffit system’s underside.
Skilled in the art of developing solutions for a wide range of complex and technical brickwork applications, in sync with the architect, IG Masonry Support devised the ideal outcome for the gable conundrum.
The Solution
To ensure the gables’ striking 45-degree brick detail met the architect’s precise design requirements, IG Masonry Support manufactured a B.O.S.S system that fixed back to the gables’ cast-in channel and onto the slab. Thus, it blended seamlessly with the surrounding brickwork including its vertical columns and piers to complete the façades’ striking aesthetic.
As well as facilitating the project’s design aspect, IG Masonry Support’s value to The Skinners’ School application was enhanced by the pre-fabricated element of its product delivery. The B.O.S.S brick slip soffit system was manufactured off-site, ensuring installers had access to a product that was ready to fit. This led to a smooth, rapid installation that enhanced the project’s cost-effectiveness.
There are many positive outcomes associated with IG Masonry Support’s involvement in the-prestigious Skinners’ School project. Most tellingly was its delivery of a bespoke brick slip soffit system that helped fulfil a building design that was highly contemporary and respectful of its historic context. In 2021, it led to the project winning the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society Award, a contest that recognises buildings that benefit the town’s look and wellbeing. The new Skinners’ School building was also a finalist in the Civic Trust Awards 2022; Surface Design Awards 2022, and the AJ Architecture Awards 2021.
https://www.bbsconstruction.com/
