KIRKLISTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Location: Kirkliston

Client: The City of Edinburgh Council

Programme: Current project

Two substantial extensions to Kirkliston Primary School will increase its capacity from 360 to over 500 pupils. The work is being undertaken in three phases while the school is fully operational.

One new wing was completed in 2015 providing new entrance, gym and dining halls, the other will provide eight new classrooms. Outdoor sports facilities are being upgraded.

In the design of the extensions, we have integrated the new and existing to form a coherent whole, while marking the biggest change to the school since it was built by giving it a new public face.

The classroom wing follows the standard CEC model of classrooms and activity spaces but we have arranged the classrooms around a central shared hub space. Each classroom also has
a dedicated outdoor teaching area. The classrooms have high sloping ceilings and large rooflights, and we have chosen colours to give a fresh and bright backdrop to the children’s work.

The adjoining gym and dining halls are separated by a folding wall and can be combined to form the assembly hall. We have chosen finishes which meet the particular requirements of both functions so that the halls feel as one when used together. The most striking feature is the timber acoustic lining to the upper parts of the walls, adding warmth and luxury to the school’s major spaces.

On completion, the school will serve Kirkliston’s expanding community well into the future.