We were invited along with 3 other practices to design new buildings on the site to accommodate a sports hall, performing arts theatre, staff and pupil dining rooms, an all weather pitch and associated facilities. Site constraints required that some of the accommodation be located under ground and so the sports hall was located beneath the all weather pitch. The arts and dining buildings were conceived as extensions to the surrounding landscape which is the hills of Highgate and Hampstead. The building was deliberately influenced by the potential to educate the pupils, so the external spaces had the opportunity for ecological, climatological and geological understanding and space for external teaching. The understanding of renewable energy technologies was also important.

Dining Room

This project completed in Nov 2011, to improve staff dining facilities and internal circulation. There was also an opportunity to create external spaces for teaching and gathering, and the following testimonial from a long serving member of staff suggests that the scheme has fulfilled the brief -

After 23 years of watching Channing expand in every single way, for the first time I have fallen in love! 

I love the modern look of the new Science block. So much so that I take the longer route in the mornings to get to A7 so that I can enjoy viewing the new area every single day. 

My form are ecstatic about the new area as they congregate there every single morning to watch the world go by. In fact, every pupil I have spoken to adores the new building. I sincerely hope that Channing continues to build with such excellent architecture.