Orchard is a two form entry primary school in South Hackney. The existing premises fell short of providing the quality and quantity of space required to achieve the school’s vision for an outstanding educational experience. Through extensive consultation, including the children and the local community, the brief was developed into a scheme involving both new build and extensive re-modelling. The extension provides new specialist spaces and a welcoming new entrance with a strong presence and identity within the wider community. Massing was developed to relate to the urban context and the existing school resulting in a dramatic offset geometry with upper stories rotated relative to the ground floor. Materials reinforce this principle with brass shingles providing a warm, textured facade sitting above large areas of glazing. The whole school (including the existing building) has achieved a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating and includes green roofs, renewable energy and exposed thermal mass.