Prefab sports hall takes shape at Islington Academy

A sports hall made out of prefabricated timber panels is being built as part of the new £25m City of London Academy Islington.

Work on the construction of the hall started in April as part of the first phase of the scheme which is sponsored by the Department of Children, Schools and Families, the City of London Corporation, City University and the London Borough of Islington.

The hall was designed by architect Swanke Hayden Connell with low carbon and sustainable prefabricated timber panels and a timber frame to enable the hall to open to students in January.

The second phase of the scheme involves work on a main teaching block, due to start in October and complete in 2010, followed by the construction of a special needs school on the same site for the London Borough of Islington, due to start in 2010 and complete in 2011.

City of London Academy Islington is the first academy designed to achieve a 20% renewable energy target, through the inclusion of photovoltaic cells and a biomass boiler, and is believed to be the first Academy on course to receive a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

The Academy will provide education for 14–19 year olds and will cater for 805 pupils.

Project partners include Buro Happold as structural and building services engineer), Galliford Try as contractor and KLH as timber construction specialist.