Aurora Ryefields School, Derby

Transforming a neglected Brutalist building into an inclusive SEND setting

Background

As part of our ongoing partnership with award-winning SEN providers The Aurora Group, e-gg was appointed to transform a 1970s Brutalist building into a school for children with additional social, emotional and mental health needs.

Set within a relatively constrained site a short distance from the city centre, the former adult learning centre required a substantial retrofit to facilitate The Aurora Group’s exceptional education and support for vulnerable young people in Derby.

Client:

The Aurora Group

Team

Archway Building Consultancy, Pure Contractors, Frith:Blake Structural and Civil Engineers, HGH Planning Consultants and Velocity Transport Planning

Status

Completed

Budget

£4.5m

Approach

Our design approach prioritised circular economy principles and the retention of the existing fabric and finishes, including parquet flooring, to reduce embodied carbon and drive the scheme towards net zero.

Several key challenges only became apparent when work began on site: what looked like a structural concrete frame was in fact steel encased in a pre-cast concrete fireproofing system, which needed major remedial work. Timber-effect flooring proved to be a Granwood product that we could not safely retain, while a complex system of surface-mounted conduits and sockets concealed a chaos of voids, channels and shafts.

We made essential upgrades to servicing, thermal performance, lift infrastructure and building envelope, rationalising service routes across the building with high-quality, low-energy fittings to limit operation energy.

Externally, we reconfigured the landscape to support different types of play, learning and exercise. We designed a new terraced garden to complement the Brutalist style of the original building and address the change in level across the site. This forms an outdoor classroom that strengthens the school’s connection to the natural environment.

We repaired original textured concrete cladding panels, impregnating and refinishing them to smarten their appearance and prolong their lifespan. We also upgraded large expanses of flat roof with new warm-deck construction laid to falls, with a generous photovoltaic array across the upper roof.

Internally, we reorganised spaces to support The Aurora Group’s “stage not age” pedagogy, with inclusive learning environments for science, food technology, music and everything in between.

Outcome

Aurora Ryefields School continues our successful collaboration with The Aurora Group and Archway Building Consultancy to improve the lives of hundreds of people across the country by creating SEND learning environments in otherwise under-loved spaces.

By reusing the existing building envelope and materials as far as possible, we significantly reduced embodied carbon and extended the lifespan of a neglected civic building to sustain an inclusive learning environment.

Internally, clarity is key, from circulation to classroom configuration. Spaces are calm, adaptable and clear of unnecessary physical clutter. The building’s geometric simplicity and generous proportions provide a strong framework for adaptive reuse while supporting the school in delivering award-winning education and care.

Beyond its function as a school, the project shows how architecture can prolong the life of undervalued buildings, embedding them back into their communities through design that is socially responsive, environmentally responsible, and contextually sensitive.