A rainbow of purple – an insight into the architectural design of Washwood Heath Academy
A rainbow of purple now illuminates the façade at Washwood Heath Academy on Burney Lane in Washwood, Birmingham marking a significant step in the progress of this construction project, due for completion in January 2019. The recent installation provides a visually stimulating addition to the overall look of the academy streetscape. The brise soleil, designed by Acivico’s Senior Architect, Dipesh Mistry cleverly incorporates the academy’s new brand colours, providing an ideal opportunity to promote the new identity for the Academy.
Dipesh explains the reasoning behind the design, “We worked closely with the requirements of the academy throughout the design development. The result was a contemporary design which incorporates six varying shades of colour along the length of the brise soleil, from pure white to dark purple – purple being the schools official colour.
The fixed brise soleil provides solar shading from the direct sun to the south facing classrooms. The blades are purposefully positioned to provide optimal shading during teaching hours, with only direct sunlight penetrating during the lunch hour. Aluminium was chosen for the blade material, due to it’s advantages in longevity and robustness. The aerofoil shaped aluminium blades are fixed in a way that also provides a floating appearance in front of the façade. The result is not only functional, but also aesthetically striking.”
Leo McMulkin, COO of Acivico said, “The project is proving to be an exciting addition to our already strong partnership we have developed with the Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust. This is our third project with this client, and I am excited to see the final result of Dipesh’s creativity on this project when it is completed, a job well done”.
Washwood Heath Academy follows on from the recent successful completion of Brownmead Academy. Officially opened in September 2018 by MP Liam Burns, the contract was a huge success. To date, Acivico have provided the full complement of multi-disciplinary services to the Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust.
Enquiries on our design and wider architectural service can be made to;
Chris Hall, Head of Programme and Project delivery.
Telephone : 07548 712955 / email : Christopher.hall@acivico.co.uk
