Fettes College School, New Building, Edinburgh, Photos, Design, Location

Fettes College Edinburgh

Sixth Form Centre & Residence in South East Scotland

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Fettes College School

Fettes College – New prep school building : scroll to base of page

photograph © Adrian Welch 2008

New Fettes College Sixth Form Building – Craigleith House
2006-07
Page / Park Architects

photos © Keith Hunter Nov07

The challenge: to design the only mixed-sex school boarding house in Scotland

Distinctive linked pair of curved blocks, focused on a vescis-shaped communal core. The female and male blocks are accessed from a central space but carefully controlled, with staff based in opposing corners of the buildings. The link bridge above allow staff to control either block.

photos © Keith Hunter Nov07

The curved blocks are staggered east-west in plan (like the Gemini symbol) to increase access to light and views. Their inner faces are serrated to provide privacy. The feeling is more like an Oxbridge hall of residence than a typical school boarding house. The intimate feel of the space and avoidance of orthogonal form reminded me of MacCormac Jamieson Prichard’s various Oxbridge buildings, especially their work at Trinity College Cambridge. The serrated concept allowing a combination of views and privacy is reminiscent of David Robert’s beautiful buildings at Jesus College Cambridge, or to a lesser extent James Stirling’s halls at St Andrews.

photos © Keith Hunter Nov07

The resultant form, with jagged zinc internal facades, is almost like a cracked crystal, with hard smooth stone on the outside and crystalline form exposed internally. The quality of the work by Kier we viewed at the opening was excellent and the pupils certainly appeared to be more than happy with the building on our tour.

David Page pointed out that, as per the original concept, the tower of David Bryce’s building can be viewed from the public side of Craigleith House through the tight gap between the boys and girls dorms.

images © Adrian Welch 011007

Fettes College Sixth Form Building Information:
Cost: £7.9m
Contractor: Kier Scotland
Height: four storeys
Facilities: 96 study bedrooms + staff accommodation + communal facilities at ground level
Area: 4,400sqm

Fettes College School architects : Page / Park, Glasgow

images © Adrian Welch 290907