Lycée International de Londres opens its doors

The Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill, London’s second Lycée after Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle, has opened its doors to students for the first time after the refurbishment of the former Grade 2 Listed Brent Town Hall buildings and construction of a new build specialist teaching annex is completed.

The new international school, completed by LSI Architects and Bouygues UK, provides inspirational educational facilities to meet the growing need for places in London. The school has been named after Winston Churchill in recognition of Churchill’s role in the 1944 liberation of France, and was recently inaugurated by President François Hollande.

Lycee International de Londres - WembleySchool Photographed by P

Lycee International de Londres - WembleySchool Photographed by P

A new build L-shaped teaching block has been sensitively positioned adjacent to the existing former Brent Town Hall building to follow the topography of the site, stepping from 2 to 3 storeys. The 1930’s Brent Town Hall was Grade 2 Listed in 1990 and features a long brick facade on Forty Lane, having been described as “the best of the modern town halls around London, neither fanciful nor drab”.

Combined the buildings provide an approximate internal area of 12,500sqm within a site area of about 5.3 acres. This will accommodate around 1070 pupils aged from 5 to 18 years old, and include a primary school.

Lycee International de Londres - WembleySchool Photographed by P

Lycee International de Londres - WembleySchool Photographed by P

Peter Courtney, Associate Partner at LSI Architects said “Specific care was taken to ensure that the new build annex strongly relates to the setting of the existing building and its surrounding context, as well as incorporating onsite sports facilities, a range of play areas and extensive landscaping, which are central to the brief.

Through creating a holistic campus wide design strategy, all classrooms, teaching spaces, restaurant and common areas feature an abundance of natural light, and are airy, well ventilated, modern and vibrant, with good acoustics, featuring state of the art modern technology.

We are particularly delighted with how the existing spaces have been successfully adapted to suit the functional needs of the school, complemented by equally impressive new build facilities. The Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill is a truly unique facility, with a timeless and international feel, blending heritage and modern, to create a stimulating educational environment.”

Nicolas Ramillon, Operations Director at Bouygues UK and responsible for its work on schools, colleges and universities within London said “The result of strong and close collaboration between the team is a fantastic and modern, yet traditional, school which provides effective, functional use of space and an inspiring learning environment.”

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