Coffey Architects of London have been awarded the 2011 Stephen Lawrence Prize for their expansion of St. Patrick’s School in London.
The jury of the 2011 Stephen Lawrence Prize found the term "less in more" coined by Mies van der Rohe appropriate to describe Coffey Architects? plans for expansion of St. Patrick?s School.Coffey Architects? plans for the expansion give the school a music room and a library. The building?s "simplicity" is due to prevalent use of just two materials: wood and zinc, with a layout that is instantly readable for visitors.
The entrance, a big opening panel of glass covered by a long platform roof, leads directly into the centre of a common area two floors high.
Bookshelves along three sides of the volume on the ground-floor level and more shelves on the raised level displaying musical instruments form an open, flexible central space which may be used for music performances or group reading sessions, as required.
(Agnese Bifulco)
Design: Coffey Architects
Location: London, UK
Illustrations: Tim Soar, courtesy of Riba
www.riba.org
www.coffeyarchitects.com
