At the prestigious Stirling Award ceremony held in Liverpool on October 11th, Oundle School’s SciTec was shortlisted for two architectural awards, the RIBA/English Partnerships Sustainability Award and the RIBA/Sorrell Foundation Schools Award. SciTec, an £11m state-of-the-art science facility was opened in September 2007.

In the former category SciTec was declared runner-up, one of two projects described as outstanding. In the end, SciTec lost out to the unusual and spectacular Manchester Civil Justice Centre, itself one of six projects shortlisted for the Stirling Prize. In the latter category SciTec lost out to Westminster Academy, another shortlisted building and the bookies’ favourite to win.

In addition, at the East Midlands RIBA award ceremony held in Nottingham on October 30th, Oundle School’s Second Master Bob Briggs and Estates Bursar Richard Tremellen were presented with a National RIBA Award for SciTech, and a second award by the East Midlands RIBA for Excellence in Architecture. Oundle School’s SciTec facility was one of only 92 new buildings nationwide to have been granted such awards, in this case one of only two in the East Midlands Region.

Bob Briggs commented, “It was pleasing that, against the odds, SciTec’s architects, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, won the much coveted Stirling Prize this year for their ambitious and impressive Cambridge housing project Accordia. On the award night large numbers of well-wishers came to the Feilden Clegg Bradley table, with generous compliments for the School’s SciTec project. SciTec really has put Oundle School on the map in terms of architectural interest, but is has also generated broader interest from other educational establishments both at home and abroad.”

SciTec exemplifies green building techniques and principles. The building is used to enable pupils and the wider community to explore experimental science and learn more about sustainable architecture and design excellence. SciTec is constructed of concrete, aluminium, glass, European oak, and local stone cladding; a combination of Ancaster Weatherbed and Clipsham stone.Much of the spoil from digging the foundations has been used to level an adjacent playing field.

The building incorporates a sedum roof, solar thermal panels to provide hot water, and passive infra-red detectors to control the energy used for lighting. A 560sqm lake has been created to provide a gray-water facility as well as a habitat for flora and fauna and for use in academic study.

Oundle School now has some of the best science teaching facilities in the country and intends to lead the way in closing the UK’s science skills gap. SciTec raises the bar for architecture in schools, sending out a clear message that learning environments should be as inspiring as the teaching that takes place within them.