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images from elder & cannon architects
elder & cannon architects - 1998
images by adrian welch
visit the more recent st aloysius junior school maths building higher
up the street -
winner of the 2004 Best Building in Scotland Awards: Clavius Building,
also known as the Maths Block
The Glasgow School of Art by Rennie Mackintosh is located just to the
south
Glasgow School Building PR from Elder & Cannon Architects:
ST ALOYSIUS JUNIOR SCHOOL

St Aloysius: Junior school image from Elder & Cannon
Although typical Primary Schools are single storey buildings on unrestricted
sites, St. Aloysius College wanted to maintain its presence in the
city centre and develop within the urban character of its campus, thereby
strengthening the bond between upper and lower schools. The challenge
became to design an effective school within the tight constraints of a
site restricted by the shallow urban grid, and in the context of the streetscape.

image from Elder & Cannon
The Junior School is a similar scale to the neighbouring buildings, but
has a contemporary language with a break-up that sympathises with the
vertical emphasis of the tenement. The client desired a light and airy
building within the framework of traditional classrooms, and recognised
the contribution that large windows could make to improving the environment
of the classrooms. The five storey South elevation, was designed to maximise
air and light into the classes, but layered to give shade and privacy.
To the rear the building steps down to three storeys, respecting the scale
and amenity of the adjacent back courts. The rear lane is used as a controlled
drop-off point for parents, and a newly established side lane connects
the Main College to the playing fields.

image from Elder & Cannon
The school is organised vertically. Classrooms are raised above Ground
Floor to maximise security and privacy, and are organised around a triple-height
central lightwell creating a light and airy social orientation
space. This has the double advantage of bringing natural light deep into
the plan, limiting the requirements of artificial lighting throughout
the building, while creating a passive stack effect, reducing the need
for forced ventilation.

image from Elder & Cannon
Each south-facing class has a full height window wall, divided into two
bays. One has fixed blinds installed in the cavity of k-glass to maximise
light but reduce glare and filter the view to limit distractions. In the
other bay, computer controlled enamelled glass louvres provide solar shading,
but offer clearer views to the outside while maintaining privacy, and
allow the patio doors behind to open for increased ventilation in summer.
Alexander
Thomson
Glasgow walking tours
St Aloysius Building
Context : Glasgow School of Art by Rennie
Mackintosh
Glasgow News : back to index
Glasgow Buildings by Elder & Cannon Architects:
Homes for the Future (south-west
building)
St Aloysius Building (Clavius
Building)
Icon Building
St Aloysius College Junior School
- page: adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
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