Weston Studio Rambert Ballet School, South West London education building, UK architecture images

Weston Studio Rambert Ballet School, South West London

25 Aug 2023

Architecture: MICA

Location: Twickenham, London, UK

Photos by Andy Stagg

Weston Studio Rambert Ballet School, Twickenham, London

An extension to the Weston dance studio for the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in Twickenham.

With expanding student numbers, increased space requirements for students and expanding community engagement aspirations, the Rambert School was outgrowing its existing buildings. MICA’s sensitive timber and glazed extension alleviates the spatial problems with a carefully considered extension. The design embraces the wooded nature of the existing surrounding landscape to create a room in the garden, which makes the most of the landscape setting whilst also providing a considerably enlarged space for dance teaching.

MICA has completed a small but carefully designed extension to the Weston Studio for the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance on the School’s Violet Needham Chapel site in Twickenham. Sited in the St Margaret’s Estate conservation area and within the flood zone of the adjacent River Thames, the project provides additional dance studio space for teaching and practice to accommodate increased student numbers.

The project makes the most of the landscape setting, providing a room in the garden, improving the relationship between the existing studio and the garden, providing access deeper into the landscape with improved accessibility for all. The architecture interprets the varied architectural language of the site to ensure that what is effectively an “extension of an extension” does not contribute to a patchwork of architectural proposals but a coherent contemporary building extending the locally listed chapel.

Stepping carefully to avoid trees which are characteristic of the conservation area and increasing the permeability of the garden, the landscape design improves the water diffusion capacity of the site, reduces runoff and actively contributes to flood protection with wet woodland planting proposed to complement this. The building facade curves to accommodate the roots of a large Red Oak to the east of the site. Full height ventilation panels to the east and west facades reduce the burden on the existing services, which were extended rather than replaced, by allowing controlled natural ventilation and purging of the studio space after classes.

The studio was completed in time for use in the 2022-2023 academic year, and has been warmly received by staff and students at the School.

Weston Studio Rambert Ballet School, London, England – Building Information

Client: The Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance
Address: Clifton Lodge, St Margarets Drive, Twickenham, TW1 1QN
Council: Richmond
Construction Cost: £571368
Type of Contract: JCT Intermediate

Dates:
Commissioned: 04.09.18
Planning Submitted: 28.11.18
Start on Site: 28.02.22
Completion: 04.11.23

Lead Architect: Gavin Miller
Main Contractor: ME Construction
Project Manager: Rachel Tranter Rambert

Photographer: Andy Stagg
Email: studio@andystagg.com
Website: andystagg.com

Weston Studio Rambert Ballet School, Twickenham, London images / information received 250823 from MICA

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