Phoenix High School Opens Sixth Form

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Students begin new school year in "inspiring" new building

Phoenix High School in Shepherd's Bush has formally opened its new sixth form building and begun welcoming the first batch of students.

Head teacher Sir William Atkinson said: " Over the last five years many of our students have expressed a strong desire to continue their education after Year 11 at Phoenix with teachers they know and trust. With the completion of the new sixth form building, we have a world class facility to support our learners."

Cllr Helen Binmore, H&F Council Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “I was delighted to be invited to the grand opening of the high-tech new sixth form building at Phoenix High School and enjoyed being shown around by some lovely students.

"The new facilities create a bright and energetic atmosphere that will hopefully help inspire the students who use it on to great things. These are exciting times for education in the borough."

The new building housing the sixth form was designed by Bond Bryan Architects, who say they spent a lot of time with staff and students finding out what they were looking for.

"Mr Atkinson is known as a dynamic head teacher," says Edward Leone, an interior designer at Bond Bryan Architects, " so we wanted to present a design that would really wow him – something dynamic that would put Phoenix on the map."

The company say the angles and bright colours of the building’s exterior came from initial ideas by a young architect, Rand Al-Shakarchi, who took her inspiration from the shapes and colours of liquorice allsorts.

The main architectural feature, whose design came from a drawing of liquorice allsorts on a string, is a series of timber-clad "fins" that jut out from the building’s upper floors. As well as creating a distinctive look, the fins are also used to house services and external vents.

Bond Bryan director Jeff Stibbons adds that the project may be genuinely life-changing for some students. He says: " I have been approached by a number of them who, on learning that Bond Bryan designed their new building, have said they are interested in a career in architecture – simply because they find the building so inspiring."

 

September 23, 2011

 

September 23, 2011