A virtuoso of finish and precision
Grimshaw for Dulwich College
Contract value: £14m
GIA: 4,400m²
The building balances and complements the 1870s New College by Charles Barry Junior by picking up on its red bricks and beige stone colours. Sculptor Peter Randall-Page developed the facade pattern in a workshop with boys from the school, based on an algorithm found in all branches of science. The result is magnificent and completely appropriate for the site.
An elegant S-plan wraps the science labs around two communal spaces: a timber panelled hallway containing Shackleton’s boat and a lecture hall. The labs are bright and beautiful, with floor to ceiling windows and views across the campus. Students were hugely enthusiastic about the building, while the head teacher emphasises its union of arts and science.