Technical

Project of the month: Lairdsland Primary School, East Dunbartonshire

Morgan Sindall has completed a £7.7m primary school next to the Forth and Clyde Canal in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, which welcomed its first students in May.

Developed by the Scottish Futures Trust, a government-funded body that aims to increase value for money in the nation’s public sector infrastructure investment projects, with East Dunbartonshire Council the building is intended to become a reference school for future developments. It will be used as an exemplar for other local authorities to adapt for primary schools elsewhere in Scotland, and architect Walters & Cohen has produced a design document that is available to councils.

The linear two-storey school runs east to west alongside the canal and accommodates 266 pupils. The 11 flexibly designed classrooms, each with a quiet formal learning area and a more informal project space, are on the south of the building. The teaching spaces have no doors and are divided with internal glass walls. Each has its own dedicated unisex toilet and access to individual covered external spaces to allow outdoor teaching.

The building stands next to the Forth and Clyde Canal

To maximise the usefulness of space an extra wide staircase doubles as theatre seating, and a dining area will be used as an activity and music space. A large school hall next to the entrance can be used after school hours without allowing access to the remainder of the building.

The school achieves Scottish Futures Trust’s standards of 7.5 sq m per pupil and cost parameters of £2,425/sq m, and was delivered on time. Elements of the reference design are now being considered by Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh councils.

Morgan Sindall Professional Services provided mechanical and electrical services. Woolgar Hunter was responsible for the civil and structural engineering.