Lessons in sight and sound

Foster and Partners came up with the light and spacious, open-plan concept but the drive came from educationalist Valerie Bragg who believes that traditional, boxy classrooms should be consigned to the history books. The transparent nature of the building meant that acoustic consultant Harris Grant had to use a combination of state-of-the-art technology and lateral thinking to ensure that children were seen but not heard. This month's Specifier also offers vital lessons on specifying lecture theatres and securing education buildings. In addition, there's a comprehensive round-up of all the recent legislation on access, which no specifier can afford to ignore.