coombes : everitt Your Sector Outdoor learning centre
NSC outdoor learning centre - Cheltenham
Project type
Specialist Care - Outdoor learning centre
Client
National Star College
Scope
New building to provide day student reception and teaching facilities
Status
Completed in 2018
The National Star College provides residential and day student provision for students with specialist needs.
They required an additional building to act as a hub for the ‘Day Students’. The building needed to provide sufficient space for the students to arrive at in the morning before dispersing into the wider campus as well as providing some teaching and life skills accommodation with in its own rights.
It was the first building to be developed outside the original development area of the College and given the organisations location within the Cotswold AONB this meant particular care had to be taken with regards visual impact the building would have.
Timber cladding and low pitched green roofs were chosen to help the building blend into the rural setting.
The building was constructed using a modular timber frame system.
The large main room is subdivided by a folding wall to enable life skills to be taught in a fully accessible kitchen at one end whilst other lessons and recreation activities take place. The main rooms benefit from full height vaulted ceilings which follow the profile of the mono-pitched roofs, this help create a light and spacious feeling within the building.
Large windows and a bifold door systems enable the building to open up to the outside space and a covered area ensures there is plenty of shelter or shade, depending on the weather, for students to enjoy some out door activities.