Queen Catherine Building

Kimbolton School

location | Kimbolton   year | 2008   value | £2.1m   size | 1,200m2

The Queen Catherine Building, completed in 2008, accommodates six classrooms, for 25-30 pupils and a 100 seat lecture theatre. The building adopts a passive approach to reducing energy in use. All classrooms are naturally ventilated, and to help promote the movement of air through the classroom the building utilizes rooftop lanterns which act to draw warm air out of the classrooms whilst increasing the daylight. The elevations have also been designed to respond to the buildings orientation limiting solar gain where required, the south west façade of the classrooms utilize vertical timber sun – shade screens to reduce solar gain, whilst still allowing views onto the landscape setting.

The building is the first in a proposed two phase redevelopment of the south west area of the campus, and redefines the southern boundary of the cricket pitch. The design was selected following an invited competition and is based on the classical proportions and module found in the nearby Robert Adam designed gatehouse building.  

Awards

2010 RIBA East Spirit of Ingenuity Award ‘Education and Healthcare’


We are so happy with the building now that it is complete and up and running. The teachers and pupils are very excited to be using the first new classroom build for many years and they appreciate all the technological features especially those concerned with the environmental control. The building sits extremely well in the environment and the use of the oak brise soleil complements the mature oak trees that are in the vicinity of the building as well as having a practical use in shading the windows and preventing solar gain within the classrooms. The lecture theatre has been very well received and is regularly used by both pupils and for the benefit of the local residents.
— Edward Valletta | Bursar, Queen Katharine building, Kimbolton School, Kimbolton