John Port School, Edale Building

John Port School, Edale Building, Etwall, Derbyshire

The project involved relocating John Port School’s Humanities faculty into the purpose-built New Edale building due to increased student numbers and the deteriorating condition of existing temporary structures. Completed to meet urgent needs, the New Edale building features 12No.classrooms, a student support suite, a new school medical centre, a community office, and associated staff and toilet facilities. Designed to integrate harmoniously with the existing Hathersage and Bakewell buildings, the New Edale building enhances the school campus centred around a scenic lake. Its architectural concept includes stepped heights on the north and south elevations, culminating in a glazed tower on the western corner. This tower visually links the heights of the Hathersage building and a four storey tower in the Bakewell building, creating a balanced and visually striking composition.

The building's façade mirrors elements from the adjacent Hathersage building, using similar materials, roofscape, and window designs to unify the school campus visually. A central blue rendered wall serves as a physical and symbolic link between old and new structures, running through the building internally and projecting externally at each end. Internally, a wide central corridor runs alongside the "blue spine," with accommodation spaces on either side. Open voids on the 1st floor allow natural light to penetrate the ground floor corridor and facilitate natural ventilation through the stack effect. High-level corridor windows are equipped with automatic opening devices for enhanced ventilation and comfort. The completion of the New Edale building not only addressed immediate educational needs but also enhanced the overall campus environment, providing a cohesive and functional space conducive to learning and community engagement.

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