Christ Church
East meets West
“… to all at SCABAL, … I personally would like to say a big thank you for all your hard work, tenacity, diplomacy & vision – you have all been brilliant – THANK YOU.”
Alan West (Governor, Chair of Premises,
Christ Church CE Primary School) April 2011
Christ Church Primary School on Brick Lane is a wonderful old school building, but it’s too small.
The basic shortfall in teaching space has a negative impact on learning and inhibits this unique school’s offer to its school community, of extended help with reading and language given to parents and local adults, a toy library for local toddlers, music lessons, after school lessons, dance and drama.
The school is making very good progress at improving educational standards and the current number of pupils on the school roll is 190, up from 163 two years ago, but this creates further pressure on available space. The children, parents and local community need more space to learn and play.
So in September 2009, The Rector of Christ Church Spitalfield entered into an agreement with Christ Church Primary School, the trustees of the Youth Centre and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, to enable the school to extend its buildings and playgrounds west and for Christ Church Gardens to expand east to meet the school.
Over eighteen months of research, design and consultation, the agreement has become a site-wide vision of the church, school and Tower Hamlets to create a shared social space where west and east overlap, with a new nursery & community building in place as a hub. By carefully reorganising the disused community gardens and youth centre, the school gets bigger, the church has more breathing space and the gardens can be nearly doubled in size.
The modest form of the new nursery & community building – single-storey with low eaves and an open centre – is set between the roots of the trees and behind the cross-axis south steps of Christ Church. It’s further away from the church than the youth centre to allow free access and views around the plinth, but is still close enough to have a direct relationship with the entrance to the crypt, the enlarged gardens and playgrounds.
Holding the two youngest school classes in the south wing, the school will also manage the community rooms in the north wing during school time, whilst the new central hall, a section of playgrounds and the tennis court will be available for the community after school. In this way, the building serves its landscape and neighbours to create an animated but managed social presence throughout the day.
The relationship between Christ Church, its school and the community has always been close, proud and sensitive to the needs of the time. Christ Church was completed in 1729 near a mixed row of buildings on Red Lion Street and the church built its two-storey school in 1782, next to the front steps of Christ Church for maximum interaction at its feet. This school was demolished in 1851 to make way for the new urban clearway of Commercial Street and the current school was built in 1874 on Brick Lane, away from the most salubrious burials at the front of the graveyard. It has been progressively adapted and extended west to the present day. The Youth Centre built in 1972 was well-used until 2009.
Christ Church itself has been recently restored from closure and dereliction to provide for its active congregation, as well as offer itself as a venue for exhibitions, award ceremonies, drinks receptions, charitable events, corporate meetings and private events. Christ Church Spitalfields is powerful, striking and over eighty metres tall, a Grade I listed building and a major landmark in the area.
Fully understanding the comings and goings of the city and anticipating the density at low level, Hawksmoor’s church expects everyone to raise their eyes to the church spire, away from the business of the ground.
Christ Church Primary School is rapidly improving and always looking to thrive in the best buildings at the heart of its community. The proposals promote diversity, celebrate the history and delight in the future of the neighbourhood in all directions.
The basic shortfall in teaching space has a negative impact on learning and inhibits this unique school’s offer to its school community, of extended help with reading and language given to parents and local adults, a toy library for local toddlers, music lessons, after school lessons, dance and drama.
The school is making very good progress at improving educational standards and the current number of pupils on the school roll is 190, up from 163 two years ago, but this creates further pressure on available space. The children, parents and local community need more space to learn and play.
So in September 2009, The Rector of Christ Church Spitalfield entered into an agreement with Christ Church Primary School, the trustees of the Youth Centre and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, to enable the school to extend its buildings and playgrounds west and for Christ Church Gardens to expand east to meet the school.
Over eighteen months of research, design and consultation, the agreement has become a site-wide vision of the church, school and Tower Hamlets to create a shared social space where west and east overlap, with a new nursery & community building in place as a hub. By carefully reorganising the disused community gardens and youth centre, the school gets bigger, the church has more breathing space and the gardens can be nearly doubled in size.
The modest form of the new nursery & community building – single-storey with low eaves and an open centre – is set between the roots of the trees and behind the cross-axis south steps of Christ Church. It’s further away from the church than the youth centre to allow free access and views around the plinth, but is still close enough to have a direct relationship with the entrance to the crypt, the enlarged gardens and playgrounds.
Holding the two youngest school classes in the south wing, the school will also manage the community rooms in the north wing during school time, whilst the new central hall, a section of playgrounds and the tennis court will be available for the community after school. In this way, the building serves its landscape and neighbours to create an animated but managed social presence throughout the day.
The relationship between Christ Church, its school and the community has always been close, proud and sensitive to the needs of the time. Christ Church was completed in 1729 near a mixed row of buildings on Red Lion Street and the church built its two-storey school in 1782, next to the front steps of Christ Church for maximum interaction at its feet. This school was demolished in 1851 to make way for the new urban clearway of Commercial Street and the current school was built in 1874 on Brick Lane, away from the most salubrious burials at the front of the graveyard. It has been progressively adapted and extended west to the present day. The Youth Centre built in 1972 was well-used until 2009.
Christ Church itself has been recently restored from closure and dereliction to provide for its active congregation, as well as offer itself as a venue for exhibitions, award ceremonies, drinks receptions, charitable events, corporate meetings and private events. Christ Church Spitalfields is powerful, striking and over eighty metres tall, a Grade I listed building and a major landmark in the area.
Fully understanding the comings and goings of the city and anticipating the density at low level, Hawksmoor’s church expects everyone to raise their eyes to the church spire, away from the business of the ground.
Christ Church Primary School is rapidly improving and always looking to thrive in the best buildings at the heart of its community. The proposals promote diversity, celebrate the history and delight in the future of the neighbourhood in all directions.
So in September 2009, The Rector of Christ Church Spitalfield entered into an agreement with Christ Church Primary School, the trustees of the Youth Centre and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, to enable the school to extend its buildings and playgrounds west and for Christ Church Gardens to expand east to meet the school.
Over eighteen months of research, design and consultation, the agreement has become a site-wide vision of the church, school and Tower Hamlets to create a shared social space where west and east overlap, with a new nursery & community building in place as a hub. By carefully reorganising the disused community gardens and youth centre, the school gets bigger, the church has more breathing space and the gardens can be nearly doubled in size.
The modest form of the new nursery & community building – single-storey with low eaves and an open centre – is set between the roots of the trees and behind the cross-axis south steps of Christ Church. It’s further away from the church than the youth centre to allow free access and views around the plinth, but is still close enough to have a direct relationship with the entrance to the crypt, the enlarged gardens and playgrounds.
Holding the two youngest school classes in the south wing, the school will also manage the community rooms in the north wing during school time, whilst the new central hall, a section of playgrounds and the tennis court will be available for the community after school. In this way, the building serves its landscape and neighbours to create an animated but managed social presence throughout the day.
The relationship between Christ Church, its school and the community has always been close, proud and sensitive to the needs of the time. Christ Church was completed in 1729 near a mixed row of buildings on Red Lion Street and the church built its two-storey school in 1782, next to the front steps of Christ Church for maximum interaction at its feet. This school was demolished in 1851 to make way for the new urban clearway of Commercial Street and the current school was built in 1874 on Brick Lane, away from the most salubrious burials at the front of the graveyard. It has been progressively adapted and extended west to the present day. The Youth Centre built in 1972 was well-used until 2009.
Christ Church itself has been recently restored from closure and dereliction to provide for its active congregation, as well as offer itself as a venue for exhibitions, award ceremonies, drinks receptions, charitable events, corporate meetings and private events. Christ Church Spitalfields is powerful, striking and over eighty metres tall, a Grade I listed building and a major landmark in the area.
Fully understanding the comings and goings of the city and anticipating the density at low level, Hawksmoor’s church expects everyone to raise their eyes to the church spire, away from the business of the ground.
Christ Church Primary School is rapidly improving and always looking to thrive in the best buildings at the heart of its community. The proposals promote diversity, celebrate the history and delight in the future of the neighbourhood in all directions.
The modest form of the new nursery & community building – single-storey with low eaves and an open centre – is set between the roots of the trees and behind the cross-axis south steps of Christ Church. It’s further away from the church than the youth centre to allow free access and views around the plinth, but is still close enough to have a direct relationship with the entrance to the crypt, the enlarged gardens and playgrounds.
Holding the two youngest school classes in the south wing, the school will also manage the community rooms in the north wing during school time, whilst the new central hall, a section of playgrounds and the tennis court will be available for the community after school. In this way, the building serves its landscape and neighbours to create an animated but managed social presence throughout the day.
The relationship between Christ Church, its school and the community has always been close, proud and sensitive to the needs of the time. Christ Church was completed in 1729 near a mixed row of buildings on Red Lion Street and the church built its two-storey school in 1782, next to the front steps of Christ Church for maximum interaction at its feet. This school was demolished in 1851 to make way for the new urban clearway of Commercial Street and the current school was built in 1874 on Brick Lane, away from the most salubrious burials at the front of the graveyard. It has been progressively adapted and extended west to the present day. The Youth Centre built in 1972 was well-used until 2009.
Christ Church itself has been recently restored from closure and dereliction to provide for its active congregation, as well as offer itself as a venue for exhibitions, award ceremonies, drinks receptions, charitable events, corporate meetings and private events. Christ Church Spitalfields is powerful, striking and over eighty metres tall, a Grade I listed building and a major landmark in the area.
Fully understanding the comings and goings of the city and anticipating the density at low level, Hawksmoor’s church expects everyone to raise their eyes to the church spire, away from the business of the ground.
Christ Church Primary School is rapidly improving and always looking to thrive in the best buildings at the heart of its community. The proposals promote diversity, celebrate the history and delight in the future of the neighbourhood in all directions.
The relationship between Christ Church, its school and the community has always been close, proud and sensitive to the needs of the time. Christ Church was completed in 1729 near a mixed row of buildings on Red Lion Street and the church built its two-storey school in 1782, next to the front steps of Christ Church for maximum interaction at its feet. This school was demolished in 1851 to make way for the new urban clearway of Commercial Street and the current school was built in 1874 on Brick Lane, away from the most salubrious burials at the front of the graveyard. It has been progressively adapted and extended west to the present day. The Youth Centre built in 1972 was well-used until 2009.
Christ Church itself has been recently restored from closure and dereliction to provide for its active congregation, as well as offer itself as a venue for exhibitions, award ceremonies, drinks receptions, charitable events, corporate meetings and private events. Christ Church Spitalfields is powerful, striking and over eighty metres tall, a Grade I listed building and a major landmark in the area.
Fully understanding the comings and goings of the city and anticipating the density at low level, Hawksmoor’s church expects everyone to raise their eyes to the church spire, away from the business of the ground.
Christ Church Primary School is rapidly improving and always looking to thrive in the best buildings at the heart of its community. The proposals promote diversity, celebrate the history and delight in the future of the neighbourhood in all directions.
Fully understanding the comings and goings of the city and anticipating the density at low level, Hawksmoor’s church expects everyone to raise their eyes to the church spire, away from the business of the ground.
Christ Church Primary School is rapidly improving and always looking to thrive in the best buildings at the heart of its community. The proposals promote diversity, celebrate the history and delight in the future of the neighbourhood in all directions.