Innovative Systems for Sheffield Academy
13th June 2017

In answer to a daylight, ventilation and health and safety conundrum, the design team for a new 21st century academy in Sheffield has used Technal’s aluminium systems to create an innovative, multipurpose architectural highlight that features across the Academy’s stunning facade; a standardised detail that will doubtless be used in future educational settings.

The £15 million Academy, which helps tackle a demographic need for more academy places, has been built on the site of Sheffield’s former Don Valley athletics stadium. The new Oasis Academy Don Valley - an all-through academy - provides modern, state-of-the-art learning spaces for 1,200 students aged from two to 16.

Designed by Bond Bryan Architects and constructed by BAM Construction Ltd - North East, the single building covers an internal floor area of 8,061m2 and features a two-storey nursery and primary academy, a four-storey secondary academy and a central hub that brings the two together, additionally incorporating facilities for community use.

Addressing the key objectives of function and affordability, the basic design of the building is standardised based on modular sections. An elongated, non-standard size, brick slip system creates the basic building envelope and is dominated by Technal-glazed features using 1,500m2 of the company’s MX visible grid curtain walling, FXi 65 windows and CD commercial doors, maximising natural daylight throughout the Academy buildings.

Technal’s MX curtain walling has also been used as bespoke canopy glazing to create covered walkways and a protected external play area for the Academy’s nursery and primary areas, which also allows light to flood into the classrooms behind.

At the Academy’s main entrance, Technal CD Commercial doors, which are suited to high traffic usage areas, have been installed. Powder coated to a mid grey, the doors are automated with full access control.

All of the Technal systems have been fabricated and installed by Dortech, who worked closely with BAM’s design team to achieve the exacting requirements for this interesting architectural design, as managing director James Sutherland explains: “The Technal systems enabled us to ensure the initial design outlined was brought to life with optimum results, not just from a thermal performance perspective but meeting the daylight, ventilation and health and safety requirements too, without compromising aesthetics. It was a challenge but the outcome speaks for itself.”

Commenting on the building’s construction Ben Robinson, Senior Project Surveyor at BAM Construction Ltd - North East, said: “The scheme is rated Very Good through sustainability initiative BREEAM and, satisfying multiple roles, the Technal systems played a part in achieving this. Also, the systems were used cleverly to minimise installation time on site for what was a particularly tight build programme.”

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