The Academy of St. Francis of Assisi, Liverpool
Visited by Martin Platt (Deputy Headteacher, St. Ambrose Barlow RC High School)
St. Francis of Assisi is a mixed 11-16 Academy in Liverpool.
View of the sustainable roof
The chapel
What we liked
- A very spacious and well proportioned main corridor with excellent use of light. Perfect for display and pupil circulation
- The external theatre with timber decking and stone terracing – the level of the decking was lower than the playground creating an excellent protection from the wind.
- The chapel was beautiful with an amazing elliptical skylight that changed appearance with the incoming light from above. Coloured glass created atmosphere with excellent seating design creating a different space to the rest of the school.
- Good use of drainage and rainwater – sustainability and learning from the environment a key aspect to the design was very obvious
Areas we can improve upon
- I was disappointed with the quality of finishes (shuttered concrete).
- When I walked into the entrance area it didn’t have the all important ‘wow’ factor and ID.
Additional information
My first impression of the building was interesting in elevation and its effect on the landscape, however A double height space would have worked well here. Unfortunately pupils moved through this area in large numbers which could cause a problem for visitors .
The stairwells adjacent had the same poor finish but with a coat of paint on (an after thought) therefore exposing a poor finish. Children want stimulation and good use of colour can have a tremendous impact on their learning.
A cybercafé made a lot of sense beyond the reception however the ceilings were very low. Soundproofing panels were a good idea and were used fairly well. This area looked out to the external theatre with timber decking and stone terracing The midday sun saturated this area. Lovely for the children who like ‘quiet’ play. The idea of walkways from the playground eradicated the need for corridors and poor behaviour of pupils
The materials on the roof space and the automatic mechanics for shade and ventilation on the curved glass were disappointing as they were possibly ‘costed out’ part way through project.
This page was last updated on 28 February 2007
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