St Bede’s Catholic College

Speller Metcalfe was contracted to deliver a new sixth form centre on behalf of St Bede’s Catholic College in Bristol, to support their expansion of student numbers from 200 to 300 at sixth form level.

The intricate project involved the construction of an octagonal building, which was located in the centre of the site and adjacent to live college buildings on three sides. To maintain access for students and staff, two temporary walkways were created alongside the build, with deliveries and works carefully orchestrated and controlled around the college timetable.

The build itself was formed from a timber frame, with exposed glulam beams and a cross-laminated timber floor and roof. The upstairs circular construction was also clad in cedar to complete the sustainable look and feel of the building.

Internally, the ground floor hosts kitchenettes and social space, with the upstairs as an open-plan study area with built-in workbench around its circumference, all fitted with data and power to support learning.

The careful sequencing of works was paramount to the success of the scheme, not only in a live educational environment, but also in the complex construction of the octagonal shape and achieving both airtightness and watertightness.