Dinwiddie MacLaren Architects

Mavis Gotto Building, Hornsby House School, Balham, London SW12

Hornsby House School occupies a compact site in a predominantly residential urban area. This new classroom and administration block opened up more playground space and provided a new visitors’ entrance.

The building form arose out of the desire to relate the scale of the new two-storey building to the adjacent Victorian single-storey buildings. Although shiny when new, the terne-coated stainless steel roof weathers over time to a matt finish similar in appearance to lead.

The building is naturally ventilated and incorporates rooftop ‘windcatchers’ to provide passive stack ventilation system for the classrooms. Long-life, no-maintenance external materials, high levels of insulation and simple mechanical services ensure that the building is economical and energy efficient during its lifetime.