Education

Education, Housing, Housing & Mixed Use

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi

Architect: Foster and Partners Consulting Architect: Graham Ford Architects Graham collaborated with Jan La...

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We believe the best school building design supports the creation of a community.  With a more considered approach, the arrangement of external courtyards and internal spaces can collectively support and enhance the collegiate feel and embody the educational philosophy of the school.  Schools also benefit when they are designed to welcome and engage with the surrounding community. To enhance learning, buildings need to be healthy and designed to breathe and to have natural light. The materials of their construction should be natural and non toxic and durable. Buildings must be robust and they need to be cost effective, easy to maintain and not expensive to run.

Our Expertise

 
With experience working on several educational projects, we have developed a body of knowledge that supports more intelligent and cost effective school design and maintenance.
  • Experienced reading complex landscapes and developing masterplans that respond sympathetically to the cultural and community context
  • Know-how to design highly cost-effective, yet robust facilities
  • Technical expertise in the design of gyms, school laboratories and other specialist facilities that factors in the latest Health & Safety requirements
  • Know-how to create healthy buildings that maximise natural ventilation and solar heating whilst incorporating mixed-mode systems where appropriate
  • Experience designing modular and pre-fabricated buildings that reduce cost
  • Understand importance of early integration of ICT and M&E systems into design
  • Provide an intelligent, 3D building model that helps clients to run and maintain the facilities including all electrical and mechanical layers
  • Permanent and temporary building design expertise for leisure and sports facilities
  • Know-how of innovative green technologies for heating and lighting that utilise the surrounding microclimate e.g. thermal heating from units installed in adjacent rivers or lakes
  • Development of ‘pre-cycling’ solutions which plan for second and third use of sporting structures
  • Designs that integrate rented components for temporary events
  • Experienced reading complex landscapes and developing masterplans that respond sympathetically to the cultural and community context
  • Track record designing highly cost-effective, yet robust facilities
 

Graham Ford Architects is a Dioceses of Westminster approved architectural firm.

 

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