Swan
A Grade II listed primary school
Swan forms part of the first phase of the extension programme for this South West London primary school, otherwise encompassed within a Grade II listed building whose traditional room sizes offered limited scope for the full richness of play. In response, Swan was conceived as a journey of tempting discovery for the school’s youngest learners. Magnetic walls, floating lights and circular porthole windows invite curiosity and interaction, creating a robust, light-filled environment designed to inspire, support exploration and nurture everyday wonder.
Project details
Client
Private Primary School
Location
South West London
Area
105 square meters
Type
Education
Internally, bespoke joinery for interactive play and individual pupil drawer sets were designed and fabricated in pre-finished materials to ensure longevity, tactility and ease of maintenance. A stainless steel clad wall broadens the possibilities for play while neatly sidestepping the perennial battle with Blu Tack! Exposed steelwork, painted in a soft coordinated palette, reinforces the spatial rhythm and lends a quiet robustness to the environment, supporting a setting that is both joyful and durable, and entirely calibrated to the daily energy of early years learning.
We place the needs and experiences of our end users at the centre of every decision, and Swan is no exception. A classroom can be so much more than a neutral backdrop. It can be a facilitator of play, exploration and early independence. At Swan, these principles are expressed through considered materials, child-scaled detailing and moments of gentle surprise, creating an environment that invites interaction and nurtures imagination for everyday learning.
The circular porthole windows became one of Swan’s defining moments. Positioned along the route between classroom and playground, they offer shifting views, shadows and colours that encourage curiosity at every age. What began as a functional device for light and connection evolved into a small ritual of daily movement, giving children moments to pause, peer through and engage with their environment in unexpected ways.
As part of the build, we invited the children onto site to see their new classroom taking shape. A small moment that connected them directly to the process unfolding around them. It was a chance for them to understand the care and hard work going into their future space, and to thank the team bringing it to life. Clipboards, naturally, were non-negotiable; an essential part of any rigorous early-years site inspection!
Constructing Swan within a live school environment demanded a strategy that was both lightweight and efficient. With the site directly adjoining the playground and daily school life unfolding around us, speed and minimal disruption were essential. A hybrid timber and steel structure provided the best solution and the primary frame was erected within two weeks of the foundations being laid. This approach kept the build largely dry, reduced site impact and allowed the project to progress safely and quietly alongside the logistics of the school day.
