Aiming at providing various teaching, social and community facilities to the people of the area, the proposed redevelopment of the Harris Academy will be located in Dundee’s West Conservation Area. The new school building will replace the existing 1926 B-Listed school building, which was designed by architects Thoms and Wilkie.
Designed to provide a series of flexible and adaptable teaching spaces, the proposed plan will create opportunities for formal and informal learning. It will also facilitate a variety of teaching methods and provide a working stage for the delivery of a Curriculum for Excellence.
The exterior of the building will feature a contemporary form. A simple window design set within deep brickwork reveals provides depth to the facade, giving the building a sense of solidity and mass.
Articulated precast panels will be used to highlight key entrance points, whilst large panels of glass are used to maximise natural daylighting and connect the building to the surrounding landscape.
Apart from that the building will also feature a multi-level social space at the centre, which forms the heart of the school, around which the teaching, administration and community facilities will radiate.
The project will be one of the first educational projects to be delivered by UK-based Robertson Construction through the East Central Hub. The construction work on the project will commence in the later part of 2013.
