This project merged two existing schools to create a 1650-place academy in Greater Manchester. This was part of a strategy to create healthy, successful and sustainable communities. The academy’s sport specialism is celebrated through the creation of a specialised hub, with indoor and outdoor facilities.
The layout features five ‘home bases’—one for each year group, to foster a sense of belonging and progression among students. Each base has its own pastoral and learning areas, centred around a double-height open learning space. They are connected by an ‘internal street’, which opens to shared social and dining spaces.
Education
2011
Tameside, England
Client: Carillion
Beacon of Light
Beacon of Light is a unique sport and education centre. The football-focused facility, located next to Sunderland AFC’s Stadium of Light, provides a vibrant environment for locals to socialise, learn and gain qualifications.
The building stacks a rooftop football barn on top of education and community facilities, maximising external space for revenue-generating 5-a-side pitches. The height of the building establishes it as a beacon, especially in the context of the neighbouring stadium.
Education
2018
Sunderland, England
Client: Foundation of Light
Revisiting the Beacon
Post occupancy evaluation at the Beacon of Light raises the question: Can you quantify the social value of good design?
Located on a constrained site in Oldham, this 1,200-place academy provides a versatile space for learning, playing and socialising. The careful and clever design also maximises space for sports facilities.
The masonry four-storey teaching block contains learning spaces, a generous atrium and admin spaces, centred around a double-height dining hall. This connects with an external courtyard with sports, play and social spaces, which is framed by two metal clad double-height blocks containing the main hall and sports hall. The materials and form of the buildings reference the area’s historic mill buildings.
Education
2023
Oldham, England
Client: Department for Education / Cranmer Education Trust
Charlton School
Education
2016
Telford, England
Client: Shepherd Construction
Cockburn School
The redesign of Cockburn School aimed to transform the disparate buildings constructed over 40 years into a new, unified centre for learning, efficiently organised by department. We sought to revive the school in a way that would inspire pride. We constructed a more inviting entrance and transformed the existing courtyard into a space for dining, socialising and performing.
One of the main challenges was completing the necessary work with minimal disruption. We achieved this with a phased approach and detailed timetabling that ensured a safe and functional school always operated. The success of this approach was illustrated by attendance actually increasing during the construction period. It continued to rise after the revitalised learning spaces were completed.
Education
2009
Leeds, England
Client: Interserve Construction
Coventry University Scarborough Campus
Education
2016
Scarborough, England
Client: Coventry University
Daventry University Technical College
Daventry UTC was one of the first technical colleges in the country, providing vocational education with an emphasis on sustainable technologies.
The three-storey learning block integrated practical and theory-based learning spaces, which overlooked a triple-height workshop running the full scale of the block, allowing room for large-scale projects. Appropriately, these were housed beneath a striking, industrial sawtooth roof. The design negotiated a significant slope and clusters of mature trees, which were retained and protected during construction.
The building created a distinctive identity for the UTC and was a prominent part of the town’s wider regeneration plans.
Education
2013
Daventry, England
Client: Shepherd Construction
Dixons Trinity Academy
Education
2020
Leeds, England
Client: Willmott Dixon Construction
Durham University Graham Sports Centre
Continuing FaulknerBrowns’ work with Durham University, we completed a remodel of their primary sports facility. This involved the refurbishment of existing facilities as well as an expansion, which included the addition of an indoor cricket hall, a 12-court multi-use sports hall, a martial arts studio and fitness suite, as well as sports science, recovery and support facilities.
The site is near a conservation area and has views of the Durham Castle and Cathedral UNESCO World Heritage Site. The design sensitively minimises the overall height of the development by adopting efficient forms and structures.
Sport · Education
2019
Durham , England
Client: Durham University
Gateshead International Stadium Regional Hub
Sport · Education
2006
Gateshead, England
Client: Gateshead Council
INTO Newcastle University
Education
2012
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Client: Newcastle University
Lancaster University InfoLab21
Education
2004
Lancaster, England
Client: Lancaster University
Lancaster University Sports Centre
Sport · Education
2011
Lancaster, England
Client: Lancaster University
Latymer Upper School Sports Centre
Sport · Education
2016
London, England
Client: Latymer Upper School
Menai Science Park
Education
2018
Anglesey, Wales
Client: M-SParc
National Glass Centre
Education · Commercial
2012
Sunderland, England
Client: University of Sunderland
Newcastle University Baddiley-Clark Building
Education
2010
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Client: Newcastle University
Newcastle University Students' Union
Education
2011
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Client: Newcastle University
Ponteland Schools and Leisure
Education
2020
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Client: Northumberland County Council
Pudsey Grangefield School
Education
2008
Pudsey, England
Client: Interserve Construction
Queen's University Belfast Physical Education Centre
Education
2006
Belfast, Ireland
Client: Queen's University Belfast
Royal School Manchester
Education
2023
Manchester, England
Client: Seashell Trust
Scarborough UTC
Education
2016
Scarborough, England
Client: Wrenbridge
St John's School Sports Centre
Sport · Education
2019
Leatherhead, England
Client: St John's School
Surrey Sports Park
Sport · Education
2010
Guildford, England
Client: University of Surrey
Teesside University BIOS
Education
2024
Middlesbrough, England
Client: Teesside University
Teesside University Business School
Education
2019
Middlesbrough, England
Client: Teesside University
Teesside University Student Life Building
Education
2019
Middlesbrough, England
Client: Teesside University
The Foundry
Residential · Education
2015
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Client: Trust Estates Ltd
University of Nottingham Library
Education
1972
Nottingham, England
Client: University of Nottingham
University of Oxford Iffley Road Sports Centre
Sport · Education
2018
Oxford, England
Client: University of Oxford
University of Stirling Performance and Wellbeing Centre