The property and facilities management team
Gallery
- Acharacle Primary School
- Am Fasgadh Museum Store
- Aviemore Primary School
- Ben Wyvis Primary School
- Farr Primary School
- Lochaline Primary School
- Lochaber High School
- New Wick High School
- New Wick Council Offices
- Plockton High School
- Scotlands Housing Expo
Milton of Leys Primary School
Milton of Leys Primary School won the prize for best new building in the Central Region of the Highlands and Islands Architecture and Design Awards in 2012. It was designed by our architects and built by Morrison Construction.
General orientation
The building has been sited on the highest part of the site to take advantage of the inspirational views and the visual connection with the city and the landscape beyond. The classrooms have been arranged in two wings allowing the building to step down with the slope of the site. Orientating the teaching wings East to West ensures the building can make good use of the suns path throughout the day.
The school opens out into external secure courtyards offering protected play areas for the children. The car parking has been positioned behind the school with the main focus of the building on the courtyards and the views.
Natural day light
Designing spaces which are well lit with natural day light improves the learning and teaching environment for pupils and staff. The majority of the classrooms gain calm North light through full height glazed walls – the ideal working environment. All corridors and social areas have high levels of natural day light.
Identification of the design principles
The qualities outlined in the Scottish Planning Policy SPP20 ‘Role of Architecture and Design Scotland’, said that the building be ‘distinctive, safe and pleasant, easy to get to and move around, welcoming, adaptable and that it should be resource efficient’.
Landscape and ecology
The site is located on a NNW facing slope to the south east side of Inverness at a height ranging from approximately 145 to 165 metres OD. While generally part of the wider green field land zoned for new development, much of the site for the school now consists of ‘made up ground’. Consequently, the vegetation cover consists mostly of grasses and self sown common weed species established following the changes to the surface over the past few years. The slope to the west forming the steeper bank to the burn has some native shrub growth.
An ecologist has carried out an ecological survey and developed recommendations for appropriate native and biodiversity planting. The school grounds will be contained within a shelter belt of predominantly native trees and shrubs. Generally the landscape planting is to help provide a visual aesthetic to enhance the new building.
Scale
The building is all on a single storey. The finished floor level has been established to respond to the topography of the site landscape. In order to reduce the scale of the building, a low ridge height and roof pitch has been designed. Although surrounded by an undulating landscape, the impact of the proposal will be kept to a minimum as it steps down with the site.
Appearance
The structure has been designed to sit low in the landscape, in order to reduce its visual impact. The roof overhangs the main south facing circulation and play area spaces to protect them from overheating and also to create a covered external space. By overhanging the roof, the form remains simple. Untreated larch timber cladding is used to offset the hard character of the metal cladding.
As part of the response for the building to reflect a regional ‘distinctiveness’, the design is based on the tradition of metal and timber cladding, commonly found in rural agricultural buildings.
The other material element in the building is glass which has been used generously where required and completes the simple palette of materials for the school.
Access to the development
The development includes a parking area at the entrance to the building to include 44 cars. The layout makes provision for refuse and emergency vehicle access. The building has drop off facilities within the school grounds. Other anticipated vehicles requiring access will include a lorry for unloading wood chips to the biomass boiler. Vehicle maintenance access will be provided through the parking area to the playpark at the east of the site.
The school will connect into a network of cycle and walking pathways already being developed in the local area. The idea is to make walking and cycling to school as easy as possible, thereby encouraging the children to get exercise en route to school. Provision for cycle storage has been included in the design.
Access for all users
The primary school has been designed with reference to BS8300 2009.
The colour schemes will ensure that there is appropriate colour contrast between doors and walls, floors and walls. Ironmongery contrast with the doors to ensure that handles can be clearly identified.