A sweeping site adjacent to the World Heritage Site of Darley Abbey Mills, St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary grounds learning in nature.

We placed the five buildings along a central canopy, with dedicated blocks for each age group, amenity blocks for learning resources, and an entrance building for pupils and teachers to come together.

Comfortable spaces with great air quality and flooded with daylight make sure that the students have healthy learning environments, fostering learning, well-being, and attainment.

Each classroom is open to the outdoors, encouraging young explorers to connect with the natural landscape across the threshold.

Guided by biophilia, we invested in landscaping and the views towards it with full-height glazing, so every learning space is connected visually and physically to the changing seasons outside. Meanwhile, wildflower meadows planted on the roofs will fill the school site with wildlife.

Natural materials were used wherever possible. We chose timber for the cladding and frame to store carbon and contribute to the natural aesthetic – the vibrant red cedar cladding will gradually silver with time – while ensuring fire safety standards.

By embracing Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) with SIPs (Structurally Insulated Panels) systems, the design achieved low carbon targets, quick and high-quality delivery, and minimal construction waste.

The low embodied carbon – far below the target set by the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge – is paired with rooftop solar panels to meet 100% of the school’s energy requirements throughout its future.