YSGOL PENRHYN GWYN (SEN SCHOOL)
LlanelliA connection to nature. A biophilic design seamlessly linking inside and outside spaces creates a bright, tranquil setting for the new SEN school in Llanelli.
A bilingual special school for 132 children with learning difficulties, aged between 3 and 20. Located on the former copperworks site in Llanelli, the design responds to a variety of constraints including ground contamination, underground DCWW drainage infrastructure and part of the site’s status as a flood zone.
To maximise accessibility, the building is single storey. It is simple in plan, arranged around a central external courtyard that offers clear orientation and wayfinding. It is the heart of the school, with facilities shared by all age groups located around its edge. Two open plan dining/flexible spaces extend into the central garden, designed specifically to avoid pupils feeling overwhelmed by the busy and noisy environment of a traditional dining hall.
- Client Carmarthenshire County Borough Council
- Value £19m approx
Extensive consultation has been undertaken with a range of stakeholders including staff, governors, pupils, parents, and specialists in therapy, sports provision and catering along with Carmarthenshire County Council Estates, maintenance and education. A collaborative approach has also been agreed with Ysgol Penrhos, the primary school on the adjacent site, whereby the two schools can share sports faculties, reducing duplication of provision.
“The concept of Biophillic design has informed the scheme from the first principles, recognising the well-being benefits arising from connectivity with nature. All internal spaces within the school enjoy direct access or views out into a landscape, whether it be the central courtyard or surrounding gardens where a wide variety of native, sensory planting grows alongside water features and natural learning resources.”
Powell Dobson Architects
