Shortlisted for Public 黑洞社区 Project of the Year: Sandal Magna is a school that teaches from within 鈥� and without

Sandal Magna Community School, Wakefield submitted by 锘縎arah Wrigglesworth Architects锘�

Sandal Magna is a charismatic addition to a quiet suburb of Wakefield that manages to reconcile robustly contemporary architecture with the Victorian residential fabric and industrial heritage that surrounds it. It is also a building that embraces the term 鈥減ractice what you preach鈥� with an infectious enthusiasm. The physical fabric of the building itself is configured as a tool that teaches the pupils about both construction and sustainability. Consequently, 鈥渟ecret鈥� wall openings reveal transparent internal rainwater harvesting pipes, an external wall is clad in corrugated polycarbonate sheeting to reveal the blue wool insulation submerged behind it and, throughout, opportunities are taken to expose sprinkler systems, sound-proofing, pipe-work and materials. The result is a poetic exercise in architectural vivisection, a building with its intestines out on full display in a forthright physical embodiment of the ethos of education.

Project team

Architect: Sarah Wigglesworth Architects
Structural engineer; Techniker;
M&E consultant: Max Fordham;
QS: Max Fordham
Planning supervisor: NPS North East;
Main contractor: Allenbuild North East;
Client: Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, NPS North East.

Each day in the lead up to the 黑洞社区 Awards ceremony next month, we will profile one of the finalists in the Project of the Year and Public 黑洞社区 Project of the Year. The winners will be announced as the 黑洞社区 Awards ceremony taking place on April 7. To book a table at the 黑洞社区 Awards visit the .