Mathilda Durkin

The South Acton Estate is the largest social housing estate in Ealing. The estate has numerous associated stigmas as explored in the following videos.

The estate has also undergone multiple regeneration schemes, each with utopian aims for an integrated community and successful living environment. These schemes however have often been dictated by the socio-political climate of the time, and have less consideration for their existing population.

The investigation into education facilities began by mapping numerous architecturally unique typologies. This process found that many of these reflected the socio political climate under which they were constructed. For example, many state funded schools contain open circulation and blocks divided by subject, this is due to the common belief that circulation spaces allow for anti social behaviour and bullying. 

Historical research into UK education provision revealed that many of the changes we have seen in secondary schools have been primarily socially driven, until recent years whereby economic crisis and the neoliberal market have rendered these facilities as a commodity. 

This process has resulted in scandals such as the forced academisation of schools, and the purchase of schools by private finance initiatives. Privatisation and decentralisation of many schools has revealed embedded issues within this process, such as cost cutting resulting in building failures, and lack of local governance resulting in an inadequate education. 

The design of these new schools also reflect this management, whereby historically secondary schools were constructed for the pupils, and now are constructed for capital, in a similar method to neoliberalist housing developments.

The schools place a particular emphasis in the formation of groups and the promotion of youth activism. In terms of design, this is accommodated by the provision of flexible spaces available for rent, the use of low impact materials which allow for appropriation and creative agency, and the introduction of protest typologies, such as staircases and public squares.

To accommodate this, the Pompidou Centre was studied due to its political presence in Paris. The Pompidou directly reflects the socio-political climate it was produced from, as well as in the architecture itself. This scheme was claimed as a ‘political weapon’, due to its active facade which was intended to broadcast exhibitions from around the world, and also due to its adjacent public square which was intended as a space for protest. 

The project proposes that the schools are established by the new radical action group, South Acton Schools Radical Action Group (SASRAG). This group procures schools through government funding and represents a wide variety of players involved in the procurement and operation of schools. These include teachers, parents and students, and also caretakers, pub staff, cleaners and local residents.

The proposal consists of three buildings dispersed across the site. The main building at the centre of the site contains the general teaching spaces, a youth club and a pub. The North building contains a library, and both art and science studios. The South building contains a medical centre and similarly, both art and science studios.

The main building facade is stepped from ground level where the students enter, allowing a separation between public and private facilities within the building. The ground floor is open, allowing for cross circulation across the site. All buildings are timber framed with CLT panels, with external circulation and numerous terraces.

Bollo Brook School is dispersed across the site of the South Acton Estate, proposing a re-integration of education and community facilities within the existing fabric of the estate. The dispersal of the facilities is seen as a radical move away from the privatised, highly secure and separate school typology which we can see within contemporary schools.

Subtle safety measures are taken, such as the partial pedestrianisation of a main road, clearly overlooked routes between buildings and landscaping interventions which clarify which is a school route and which is not.

The main block is situated at the epicentre of the site and includes numerous terraces on the northern facade. The north-south orientation avoids excessive glare during the school day whilst maintaining a visual connection across the scheme.