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Greenwich Waldorf School

Greenwich

Project Details

£1m to £1.99M

Alteration to existing property, Listed Building - Grade II, Within a Conservation Area

Practice

Timothy Tasker Architects Ltd

Studio 2, The Mews , 6 Putney Common , London , SW15 1HL , United Kingdom

Sensitive extension to a Grade II Listed Georgian Villa TTA were invited to explore how new accommodation could be sensitively added to Greenwich Waldorf School, which occupies an impressive Grade II listed Georgian villa. The brief sought to resolve long-standing access and fire escape challenges while creating inspiring new learning environments for the school community. Our proposal introduces two new classrooms, storage and bathrooms, alongside a new roof-level playspace. A new central atrium becomes the social and environmental heart of the scheme, drawing daylight and fresh air into both the new accommodation and the existing building, transforming previously underused basement areas into vibrant, usable teaching spaces. The proposal closely reflects Waldorf philosophy, where the quality of space is integral to learning. Natural light, warm tactile materials and gentle acoustics create calm, healthy environments that support focus, creativity and wellbeing. A lightweight timber and hemp extension sits in deliberate contrast to the solidity of the historic masonry villa, offering a contemporary yet respectful architectural layer. Planted roofs soften the building edges, enhance biodiversity and contribute valuable greenery within the urban setting. Timber and cast hempcrete are used throughout, including external and internal walls, with in-situ hempcrete proposed to the ceiling coffers, providing breathable, low-carbon, naturally regulating learning spaces.