September 26 2018

Shetland Islands Council have formally opened Anderson High School and Halls of Residence in Lerwick following completion of work by main contractor Morrison Construction.

Designed by Ryder the £55.75m school comprises over 300 rooms with a capacity of 1,200 pupils drawn from across the isles. An accompanying 100-bed hall of residence provides accommodation for those travelling from further afield.

Modelled on a superblock the four storey school stacks teaching and support spaces around an internal atrium which doubles as a dining, performance and assembly space.

Lower levels are clad in split face blockwork to merge with the hillside while an untreated timber façade on upper floors, which will weather to silver in time, seeks to harmonise with surrounding moorland.

Pupil’s and staff relocated to the 12,500sq/m campus in October last year.

5 Comments

#1 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 26 Sep 2018 at 12:57 PM

Looking at a build cost of £4.5K per m2.
Is this a world / Scottish record for a school?

All looks a bit contractor friendly / architect friendly to me.

#2 Posted by pooka on 27 Sep 2018 at 09:11 AM

This building's a real stinker - coming close on the heels of the Keppie overcald Portree High in terms of negative impact on a place, in my view.

#3 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 27 Sep 2018 at 11:06 AM

I fear they were trying too hard.

Very flat -- looks like a building out a model train layout so they go overboard on colour and texture.

Mark it down as a fail.
Some good ideas but poor detailing.

#4 Posted by Dr P on 27 Sep 2018 at 11:26 AM

Looks like a series of testing panels for timber cladding! Did they also run out of dark blocks for the base coursing to the right of the entrance?!

#5 Posted by Rem Koolbag on 27 Sep 2018 at 12:03 PM

All valid points guys.
We could be here all week making a list, but I think my biggest complaint is the thing just blocks out what looks like a fairly nice hill behind...

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