The Performing Arts Centre was completed in the summer of 2015. The space is used daily by children across the School for music, drama and dance lessons, charity events, assemblies and performances.
The building itself is designed to blend into its surroundings as seamlessly as possible, made of a fusion of Cotswold stone and wood. A ‘living wall’ of plants faces Minchinhampton Common while vertical timbers of differing lengths reflect the trunks and canopy of the surrounding trees.
The entire project is acutely energy-efficient by courtesy of ‘breathability’ instead of air conditioning and the maximising of natural light.
Inside the center, the main auditorium features a first floor gallery, tiered seating (which can be moved and seamlessly packed away) and double height walls that move to expand or separate the space depending on its use. The space can also be opened up to include the foyer, which is often used for ballet and dance lessons owing to its mirrored wall.
Downstairs our Music staff are found teaching in the dedicated music classroom (with suite of Apple Mac computers) and teaching individual instrumental lessons in a series of sound-proof music pods. Over 300 music lessons are scheduled each week for children in Year 2 to Year 8.
The Performance Arts Centre was officially opened on Tuesday 30th June 2015 with a formal school music concert and the building was shortlisted for a prestigious RIBA award (Royal Institute of British Architects) in 2016.
