Kind Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford

Sports Hall

This purpose-built sports hall for the King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford was constructed to provide a comprehensive range of facilities over two floors and renewed a client-contractor relationship with the school that began in 2015. The new hall is erected towards the rear of the sports field within the site curtilage of the school and adjacent to their existing tennis courts, alongside the main school buildings in Broomfield Road, Chelmsford.

The steel frame building with lattice trusses was clad in masonry construction with contrasting masonry detailing and a curved insulated metal roof and included a precast concrete first floor and stairs to create the first floor suite of rooms.

Comprising a reception area at the main entrance with staff and medical facilities leading to four changing rooms with separate disabled facilities and store-rooms, the ground floor contains a 250 square metre gym studio and a separate sports hall large enough to accommodate five badminton courts. This multi-functional sports hall provides a two-storey flexible space which also features basketball courts and cricket nets.

The first-floor area, accessed by both a lift and wrap-around concrete staircase incorporates additional staff, kitchen, storage and cleaner’s rooms alongside additional changing and toilet facilities, a fitness suite, two classrooms and a viewing gallery which overlooks the sports hall. The building project spanned a number of examination periods which necessitated strict control of building operations so that minimal disruption was caused to students and teaching staff. Close liaison on a weekly and daily basis enabled this prestigious project to be erected within the timescale and budget that was established with the client’s design team.

A W Hardy & Co. Limited are pleased to have delivered for the client a unique and iconic building to add to their portfolio of educational establishments.