Client: Sherfield School / Education in Motion (EiM)

Location: Sherfield School, Sherfield-on-Loddon, Hook, Hampshire

Context: 76-acre parkland campus centred on a Grade II listed manor house (Buckfield House)

Project type: New laboratory extension and refurbishment 

Status: RIBA Stage 3 complete; planning submission in progress

Our role: Lead, architecture, interiors, laboratory strategy, heritage coordination, planning support and sustainability integration

Collaborators: Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture (Heritage), Harwood Savin (Planning), EOC Engineers (Structural & Civil Engineering),SI Sealy, (MEP Engineering), Lizard Ecology (Ecology), BCA Landscape (Landscape Architecture)S+B Labs (Laboratory Design), Civilistix Consulting Engineers (Flood & Drainage), Kampus (interiors), Gleeds (Cost)

Brief

When EiM acquired Sherfield School in 2023, it committed to developing a sustainable, high-quality UK campus aligned with its global education ethos. Science teaching was identified as a priority. The brief was to:

• Deliver six large laboratories and one smaller specialist lab, each accommodating 18 students and one teacher.
• Improve functionality, safety and environmental performance.
• Create an accessible internal or covered external link between prep and teaching spaces.
• Refurbish and extend rather than demolish, where viable.
• Enhance the setting of the listed manor and respect the surrounding woodland and parkland context.
• Embed sustainability into the design.

Analysis | What we found

The science buildings sit within a cluster to the north of Buckfield House, one of the least heritage-sensitive zones of the campus but still within its setting . A detailed review of existing provision revealed:

• Inconsistent lab sizes (some as small as 51–58m²) that did not meet best-practice circulation standards for 18 students.
• Poor spatial planning, with static desks blocking sightlines and insufficient bag storage.
• Prep rooms separated from teaching labs, reducing operational efficiency.
• Inadequate services infrastructure and poor thermal performance.

Room-size testing in collaboration with S&B labs suppliers confirmed that 70m² laboratories allow compliant circulation, integrated mobile fume cupboard space and appropriate storage, while smaller footprints compromise both flexibility and safety.

Environmentally, the site is surrounded by mature woodland, including ancient woodland at Buckfield Copse. Tree retention, biodiversity net gain and sensitive siting were therefore critical.

At a strategic level, the redevelopment also needed to express Sherfield’s core values, confident, creative and connected and EiM’s commitment to sustainability and pioneering education.

Proposition | Retrofit first & heritage enhancement

Together with the client we rejected demolition in favour of phased refurbishment and extension. The Historic Environment Officer confirmed that the existing buildings contribute little to the setting of Buckfield House, redevelopment presents an opportunity for enhancement. The proposed material palette and language is deliberately restrained, to respect the listed manor’s primacy.

Proposition | Selected a low-impact linear extension

Following multiple feasibility options, and pre-application consultation regarding the ecological quality of the woodland, a linear extension with a connecting link was chosen. This approach:

• Minimises tree loss and root disturbance.
• Sits on the north-east side of the cluster to reduce overheating and improve environmental performance.
• Maintains direct connectivity with existing labs.

Proposition | High-performance labs & connected prep

We established a 70m² 18 person laboratory template. The curtilage listed small lab becomes a dedicated 47m² sixth form lab, adopting a more university-style layout. All present flexible environments with distinct theory and practical zones to support independent learning. The scheme improves adjacency between prep rooms and labs and provides an accessible covered external link.

Proposition | Embedded sustainability

The scheme aligns with EiM’s sustainability commitments. Optimised orientation limits overheating. Integration with wider MEP upgrades reduces operational carbon, and upgraded envelope performance and ultra-low embodied carbon natural materials, present net zero development. Biodiversity net gain measures and sensitive external lighting complete a proposal that is not just labs, but as visible expressions of climate-conscious, forward-thinking education.

Outcomes so far

A coordinated RIBA Stage 3 design aligned with planning policy, heritage and biodiversity requirements

Positive heritage officer feedback supporting redevelopment within the listed building setting

A clear, phased delivery strategy prioritising science as the first major academic investment within the wider masterplan.

Conclusion | Why it matters

Science is central to Sherfield’s ambition to develop resilient problem-solvers and independent thinkers.

By replacing compromised, undersized labs with well-proportioned, flexible and environmentally responsible facilities, the redevelopment elevates daily teaching quality while strengthening the campus’s architectural coherence.

Importantly, it demonstrates that contemporary laboratory design can enhance not compete with historic settings.

Reflections

This project has been a valuable learning journey for our team, and has required careful listening, iteration and collaboration. Working closely with the school community and the local authority will continue, ensuring that operational realities, ecological sensitivities and planning expectations are fully aligned. As we move forward, we are having conversations with contractors and progressing detailed pricing of the proposed construction systems in collaboration with Gleeds. This next stage is about translating design intent into deliverable, cost-certain solutions, retaining the architectural ambition while responding pragmatically to programme, procurement and environmental performance.