FARRANS Construction has completed a purpose-built school for third level creative arts students for Big Creative Academy in London in a contract valued at £12 million.
The sixth form school, established in 2014 and specialising in the creative industries, is located in the Walthamstow area of the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
The development saw the construction of a replacement school for the performing arts, a theatre and ancillary café for pupils, staff and occasional community use.
The building comprises a three-storey ‘L’ shaped teaching block, connected to the theatre. Located to either side of the theatre are two double height performance spaces.
The site was one-hectare in size and included the footprint of a 2,000 sq metres building with 8,000 sq metres of car parking. Outdoor social spaces and a health and fitness zone are covered in porous bitmac with additional social spaces of soft landscaped areas including vegetable and herb gardens.
Cathal Montague, regional director for Farrans Construction, part of the Dublin-listed CRH Group, said: “Big Creative Academy is a unique project in the heart of London which we're pleased to have successfully completed.
“We worked closely with the clients to determine and cater for the bespoke requirements to deliver an impressive, modern, fun and creative space for the pupils.
“We have developed a strong reputation in the education sector and are currently on site on a number of college projects in England, including Charlton Park Academy and Seahaven Academy Primary.
“We deliver high quality, signature and often complex buildings which have an important role in our everyday lives, while also adding value to the communities we work in through apprenticeships and training opportunities.”
Academy principal Sacha Corcoran said: “The Farrans team worked hard in a collaborative way to deliver an amazing space that will be perfect for our students. The company has a good understanding of what schools' need and, more importantly, what young people need in order to thrive and be successful.”
Farrans employs more than 500 people and has offices in London, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Belfast, with further site offices connecting its regional network.
