All Saints' Academy

Cheltenham

All Saints’ Academy is a church school for the community. It provides secondary education for 900 pupils and 250 sixth formers.

The striking form of the Academy curves around an impressive entrance plaza with a three-storey high glazed atrium, elegant canopy and copper-clad chapel welcoming visitors from all approaches to the site.  The vibrant entrance space is dominated by a sculptural stair which links curved open galleries at each level. 

The design developed around the concept of a hand, the atrium acting as a unifying device from which key internal and external areas can be accessed. The galleries within lead to three radiating learning wings providing most of the classroom accommodation. 

Staff spaces are placed along the galleries at the thresholds to the more private learning wings.  At ground level large internal windows provide views into the wings where display areas celebrate students’ work.  Above the reception area rises the distinctive conical form of the copper-clad chapel.  It acts as a visible beacon reflecting the Christian ethos of the Academy.

Externally, the areas around the building provide many opportunities that encourage outdoor learning.

Click here for the article in Dezeen featuring this project.

Delight in construction

The cladding of the chapel was undertaken with real craftsmanship, the copper coated shingles gradually reducing in size to accommodate the conical shape reaching through the atrium roof.  The sculpting of the chapel brings light pouring into the space from above. A single slot window with a coloured glass design provides a focus within the contemplative space.

The timber paneling at the base of the interior of the chapel is echoed in the internally maple clad lightwells to each learning wing.  In these spaces, toplight is funnelled into open plan staff work areas. The enclosed lightwells also serve as ventilation stacks drawing air through the wings whilst maintaining acoustic separation between breakout, teaching and social areas.

The community now has a tremendous asset. It’s absolutely stunning and is a wonderful contribution to the welfare of this community that will be here for donkeys’ years to come
Peter Bradshaw, Clifton Diocese
The building really does look impressive - probably due to the vision, imagination, sensitivity, skill, experience and commitment of the architect
Peter Bradshaw, Clifton Diocese
Thank you for making this a fantastic project to build!
John Brennan, Skanska

Our Team

  • Joanna Billings
  • Jayne Bird
  • Simon Cambridge
  • Joanna Day
  • Andrew Gowing
  • Russel Hayden
  • Lydia Kan
  • John Leonard
  • Marie-Lise Oulmont
  • Tristan Rogers

Project Team

  • Client: Gloucestershire County Council
  • Structural Engineer: Skanska Technology
  • Services Engineer: White Young Green
  • Landscape Architect: Illman Young
  • Acoustician: SRW Acoustics
  • Contractor: Skanska
  • Photographer: Hufton & Crow

Awards

  • Commendation: BCSE Awards, Excellence in Design for Teaching & Learning

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