In pictures: Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt’s Charterhouse design centre strikes contemporary note on historic campus

The project comprises a refurbishment of, and extension to, the public school’s existing art, design and technology buildings. A new glazed link unites the three structures, creating a central hub with a shared entrance and gallery spaces, as well as a landscaped courtyard that aims to encourage interaction and creative learning. 

Cross-discplinary environment

The project is part of a scheme to transform the school’s historic campus as it transitions to become co-educational. The brief was to create an inclusive and sustainable learning environment where creative and technical disciplines could come together and generate cross-disciplinary learning synergy. The new building offers flexible learning spaces that can accommodate a wide range of activities and teaching styles from collaborative studio work and specialist workshops to exhibitions, seminars and informal learning. At the heart of the scheme is a shared fabrication laboratory that brings together traditional making techniques and advanced digital technologies.

Net zero carbon in operation

Through passive environmental design and renewable energy technologies – ground-source heat pumps and rooftop PV – the new centre has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation. Its orientation maximises natural daylight while reducing overheating risk, and a high-performance envelope and natural ventilation systems minimise energy demand. Intelligent building controls are designed to optimise building performance and occupant comfort throughout the year.

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Modernism meets 19th century gothic 

The scheme has had to negotiate a place for itself within Charterhouse’s rich architectural heritage. James Dartford’s 1957 studio building has been carefully refurbished and reconfigured to meet modern educational needs while preserving its character. The design of the new centre mediates the transition between the Modernist studio and the wider 19^th-century gothic campus through a contemporary interpretation of traditional materials. The new extension is clad in a screen of profiled clay tiles that reference the clay-tile banding that runs across the roofs of many of the 19^th century buildings, creating a dialogue between old and new, in a colour that reflects that of the earlier buildings.

Space for art work and interaction

Circulation areas throughout the building are conceived as gallery spaces offering students with opportunities to display their work and celebrate creative achievement. The central courtyard extends this ethos outdoors, providing a flexible space for reflection, social interaction, outdoor learning and seasonal events, that echoes the other older courtyards found across the campus.