“The new building has made me more excited and motivated to come in each day. It’s just such a lovely environment to work in.” – one of the students of Burntwood School told the Guardian. With this simple phrase, it is easy to understand why it was Burntwood School to receive the Stirling Prize for 2015. Designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the project added six new buildings to the existing school campus in Wandsworth, designed in 19532, creating a coherent space of teaching blocks and sports and arts facilities, interspersed with public squares and lawns. The project was awarded not only for its formal architectural qualities, but more importantly, since it serves as a bold reminder for the power of design in education.
