Holmer Green School

Main contractor

Willmott Dixon

Sub contractor

AVV Solutions

Architects

ECE Architecture

Products

Solus Brick Range

Facing Bricks

Overview

Holmer Green School is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in the village of Holmer Green in Buckinghamshire. The project formed part of a wider strategy to modernise and rationalise the school’s estate, creating facilities that support contemporary teaching while establishing a clearer sense of identity across a historically varied campus. The development comprised the refurbishment of the existing sports hall, transforming it into a new dining hall, alongside the construction of a new two-storey teaching block to accommodate additional classrooms and specialist learning spaces for pupils.

ECE Architecture led the design, with Willmott Dixon appointed as main contractor. Taylor Maxwell worked closely with both teams to select and supply facing bricks that would unify the new architecture with its surroundings. The Wakerley Multi Stock brick from our Solus Range was chosen as the primary material, paired with a complementary grey brick to introduce contrast and depth across the facades. All brickwork was supplied to the installing subcontractor, AVV Solutions.

Concept

The design responds sensitively to a complex site defined by existing buildings dating from the 1960s through to more recent extensions, as well as neighbouring residential properties of varied character and materiality. The new teaching block was carefully positioned on existing hardstanding to minimise disruption to playing fields and allow the school to remain operational throughout construction. Its massing and orientation are shaped to address adjacent buildings, improve circulation and form a new central courtyard that acts as the social heart of the school.

This courtyard is enclosed by the refurbished dining hall and the new build, creating a collegiate, sheltered space that brings together old and new movement routes. Continuous canopies and a consistent datum line reinforce a sense of enclosure and cohesion, while restrained hard and soft landscaping enhances usability with minimal maintenance. The courtyard now functions as a key focus for students, strengthening wayfinding and spatial legibility across the campus.

Material selection played a key role in anchoring the development within its context. The Wakerley Multi Stock brick introduces a warm, intricate palette that closely reflects the red brick tones evident across the existing school buildings and the surrounding residential housing. Its subtle variation of red and darker flashed tones adds texture and visual interest, helping the new two-storey teaching block sit comfortably within its established setting.

The pairing with a complementary grey brick provides a contemporary counterpoint, used to articulate key areas of the facade, including the base of the building beneath the large windows and the mid-level panels located between window openings. These mid-level sections used protruding brick specials, adding depth and shadow to the elevations. This considered contrast helps to define the new architecture without overwhelming the existing campus.

Completion

The completed development delivers a coherent and contemporary addition to Holmer Green School, transforming previously fragmented spaces into a welcoming environment for students, staff and visitors. The new courtyard has established a vibrant focal point at the centre of the campus, while the refurbished dining hall and new teaching facilities support modern educational needs and community use.

The project demonstrates how considered material selection and early collaboration can deliver a cohesive, durable and contextually sensitive educational environment.

Learn more about our Solus brick range here.