George Salter Academy
West Bromwich
George Salter Academy is a vibrant secondary school in West Bromwich, sponsored by the Ormiston Academy Trust.
Our design maximised the limited funding to fundamentally re-organise the way in which the Academy is used. The huge site which, over the years, had become tangle of sprawling single storey constructions was addressed and new constructions were inserted which would have the maximum impact on the resulting layout as a whole.
A new front entrance was created allowing plenty of space to welcome the whole community in. Large new performing arts halls were placed by the new entrance. These agile spaces can be combined to form a theatre with a seated capacity of 400 allowing the Academy to host a variety of events. Responding to the STEM initiative, the entire Science department was replaced with new laboratories.
At the heart of the school a new English block was inserted to unite the 1932 wings, easing congestion in the historically narrow corridors.
Civic presence
Key to the success of the project was the need to give the Academy a new identity and presence in the Public Realm. The narrow 1932 entrance was set back from Claypit Lane resulting in the entrance not having a public presence. The new front entrance onto Davey Road is generous allowing the whole community into the Academy.
Our Team
- John Leonard
- Paul Baxter
- Nicholas Langstaff
- Gerard Ryan
- David Brook
Project Team
- Client: Ormiston Academies Trust
- Cost Planning: Balfour Beatty
- Structural Engineer: Cundall
- Services Engineer: Cundall
- Landscape Architect: Fabrik
- Acoustician: Cundall
- Fire Engineer: Cundall
- Interior design: Honeycomb Architects
- Contractor: Balfour Beatty
