Wings Academy

About this project

The Wings Academy in Hounslow will provide specialised education for young people aged 11–19 with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health needs.

Our design approach for Wings Academy prioritises minimising external environmental impacts, including those from the busy Hanworth Road, the nearby Gurdwara temple, and surrounding industrial areas. The school’s residential blocks are positioned along the perimeter, creating a sheltered central space for Wings Academy. Additionally, the layout of external play areas, the MUGA, and natural habitat zones provides ample separation from the new residential homes, fostering a safe and supportive environment for students.

The final design adopted a reinforced concrete (RC) frame supported on a raft slab due to initial soil conditions, which required extensive remedial work and complete modification of the soil structure. Elevated groundwater levels necessitated a shallow attenuation tank in place of traditional soakaways, with discharge rates carefully calculated to minimise the impact on the main surface water sewer.