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Why the three main clerestories?
Not surprisingly they usher a lot of daylight deep
into the building – especially above the main areas of
gathering and circulation, pushing light right into the
voids. We used Viridian fritted glass to help modulate
direct sunlight and once again that injection of
diffused light via those openings is an important part
of the building’s success.
Can you explain your window framing system?
We’ve always been a great believer in steel rather
than aluminium framing because of the embodied
energy involved. We use a steel system with a very
shallow profile. These don’t lend themselves to
double-glazed units. Viridian was really helpful by
providing a single pane glass with very high-energy
efficiency characteristics. This glazing and framing
is such an important detail because of its shallow,
fine steel frame profile. Aesthetically it’s one of the
project’s most important details when you consider
that glass represents more than 50 per cent of the
facade.
Is there a simple post-occupancy test to establish
how successful you have been?
It’s always anecdotal, rather than a formal review. If
clients approach you with a smile rather than a frown,
or cold-shoulder, that’s a good sign. It has to rest
with the client and building user and they have been
absolutely thrilled. They moved straight in without
any hiccups. Students and teachers alike have been
very positive and as an architect that is about as
good as it gets.