William House, Fettes College

The new preparatory school classroom block forms part of the masterplan for the school facilities developed by Page\Park in 2004. The building runs diagonally across the site from a new pedestrian entrance on East Fettes Avenue providing five classrooms and an art room in a flexible teaching space that can be easily adapted to the changing needs of the school. The position of the building creates two outdoor play areas; an all-weather surface to the north and a grassed area to the south. Both are enclosed by a landscaped boundary.

The single-storey mono-pitched building sits low on the site. The larch clad, timber-framed structure has been designed to blend with the woodland and mature trees that surround it whilst acting as a plinth for the view towards the famous, landmark tower designed by William Bryce.

A library and support room form a bookend to the run of classrooms, the stepped layout of each class, creates an informal circulation area that can also be used as display or break-out space. The classrooms are light and airy with extensive glazing facing northwards, allowing natural daylight and ventilation into each of the rooms.

High level glazing along the south facing corridor allows glimpses of sunlight to penetrate. Services are carefully integrated with a wet area built-in to the store, underfloor heating, natural ventilation and perimeter trunking leaving a flexible space that can be rearranged to suit different teaching needs.

“The design is responsive both to the site and to the client. Fettes College has a building fit for purpose, a subtle, contemporary addition to the 140-year-old school.”

Alan Dunlop AJ