Thomas’s Kensington
Project: Thomas’s Kensington
Location: 21 St Albans Grove, Kensington & Chelsea, West London
Client: Thomas’s Day Schools
Status: Planning Permission Granted
The brief
Thomas’s Day Schools existing premises in Kensington occupied three separate sites with limited outdoor space. When the opportunity arose to purchase the nearby Atlantic House building, steeped in educational history, it was too good to miss, and a land swap was arranged enabling Thomas’s to expand and their vacated existing premises to be reconverted back to residential.
Requiring an extensive and innovative retrofit, 21 St Albans Grove was earmarked to become an exemplary new junior school, offering exceptional teaching and learning facilities, a highly biodiverse landscape, and new identity among the De Vere Conservation Area.
Our approach
Our ambition for 21 St Albans Grove was to weave Thomas’s Schools ambitious brief into the fabric of two wonderful historic buildings that sit within a rich urban fabric. The challenges were to provide a spacious, beautiful, and safe learning environment, whilst respecting the restricted site, historic character, as well as upgrading the fabric to achieve ambitious energy targets.
Our main move was to remove an insensitive extension that links the two historic buildings and introduce a light-filled central atrium that will be the heart of the school, including a new stair and lift to completely change the way the buildings are navigated. This atrium will also provide a new main entrance, and act as a welcoming, public face to the school.
Extensive consideration was given to landscaping to fulfil three criteria: minimising acoustic impact; creating privacy and safety; and improving the visual quality of Atlantic House’s front façade. A woodland-style quiet learning garden has been positioned nearest the neighbouring residential properties, while acoustic walls have been specified to surround free play/sports areas.
Finally, by following passive design principles we ensured the majority (93%) of the existing building’s area is refurbished, including retention of its shell and part of the frame. All existing windows are due to be replaced with double glazed heritage units and all internal walls will be insulated as well as an upgraded roof and floor. Materials are specified for a long lifespan and future adaptability, while renewable technologies will improve energy efficiency, water consumption and landscape irrigation.
Concept diagrams
Our design
Our approved design will provide an exceptional, five storey school comprising 23 teaching classrooms for pupils from reception to year 6, sound proofed music rooms, libraries, dining halls, assembly hall, reception, head’s office, meeting/administration rooms, flexible community spaces and a planted biodiversity roof garden.
On the façade facing St Albans Grove, a low brick plinth wall with natural stone coping will be built to delineate the school boundary and create a sense of security. It will also feature decorative railing incorporating the Thomas’s Day School logo to establish a distinctive identity yet remain in keeping with neighbouring properties. Existing listed trees are retained alongside the new roof garden, resulting in a biodiversity net gain of 21.73%.
The Result
Thomas’s Kensington marks our second scheme for Thomas’s Day Schools, following on from the successful planning approval at Battersea Square. A planning application for Thomas’s Kensington was submitted following the second round of public consultation in February 2022 and permission was granted at committee in January 2023.
Work is expected to begin later this year with the aim for staff and students to move in for the 2024/25 academic year.