Crown Hills Community College – Leicester

Located in the City of Leicester, Crown Hills Community College is a secondary community school with a motto of ‘Aspiration, Commitment, Success’ and is demonstratively proud of its open and welcoming culture. With a strong reputation for school-based training, Crown Hills is also known to invest heavily in their own staff, receiving the prestigious “Secondary School of the Year for Staff Wellbeing Award” by TES.

Originally established in 1950, Crown Hills was part of Leicster’s ‘Building Schools for the Future Programme’ (BSF), a national secondary school investment programme originally conceived by the UK Government during the 2000’s. With the old school building demolished in 2014, the current facilities were completed a year previously by Main Contractors, Miller Construction, alongside architectural firm, AHR. 

The facilities house 3 distinct learning zones, in addition to outdoor study areas. Recognised as a specialist sports college, there is a particular emphasis on cricket, with the large indoor sports hall used by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) outside of school hours. Crown Hills also boasts its own outdoor sports complex named Goals Leicester, a 5-a-side football chain venue housing all-weather pitches for organised competitions and casual recreation by the community.

In order to provide further amenities to the schools facilities and extend their on-site dining, social and breakout space, the school approached Streetspace to provide the design and build of 2no. TRITON Mono Enclosed Canopies. Supplementing the canopies with additional dining facilities was the addition of 2 adjoining deli snack shacks. External serveries work especially well in conjunction with outdoor dining canopies, both as a practical means to reduce pressure on school canteens by easing congestion and offering opportunities to increase revenue for school budgets.

This is Streetspace’s second canopy project with Crown Hills Community College, having previously designed & installed an ORION Barrel Vault Tensile Membrane Canopy back in 2019. The canopy utilises gable end mesh panels to create an ambient space beneath the structure, with the combination of shade and airflow providing a pleasing environment for users. Toughened glazing was also provided on 3 sides to enclose the space and offer protection during periods of inclement weather.

For the school’s most recent project, Streetspace provided a single-source solution that comprised the design & installation of both canopies, as well as civils and M&E work, including installation of power and data points, infrared heaters and LED lighting. This approach helps to manage delivery on project timescales while removing the hassle of dealing with multiple parties during a project. With a completion date set for late September during the planning phase, the majority of the installation work was delivered during the school summer holidays of 2022 in order to facilitate minimal disruptions to school scheduling. 

TRITON Enclosed Canopies are a cost-effective means to offer enhanced weather-protected spaces, with a modular design theme that enables a consistent tone throughout the structure. The enclosed canopies were designed with aluminium curtain wall systems alongside an aluminium roof glazing system, ensuring long-term reliability and an elegant aesthetic that coordinates well with the facade composition of the site’s surrounding buildings. 8no. infra-red heaters installed across the two canopies enable effective year-round use.

The enclosed canopies were installed in 2 separate external locations across the school premises. Canopy 1 was set in a central courtyard location with prominent views from surrounding buildings, required the removal of existing planters and relocation of outdoor dining benches to allow space for the new structures 147m2 dimensions. Installation of Canopy 2 was made adjacently to the indoor sports hall, set at a 1.5m distance with the curtain wall of the canopies rear elevation designed with solid panelling. Streetspace provided a pair of 2m high softwood timber gates to secure access to the ensuing space.