BEDALES in Steep has become the first school to win a prestigious award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Bedales School in Church Road was presented with the RIBA Client of the Year Award for 2017 for its new Art and Design building, having been nominated by the architects, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS).
The first school to win the award, Bedales was chosen ahead of four other shortlisted award winning projects.
They include Tate Modern’s Blavatnik building, Enfield’s Dujardin Mews and two innovative Forestry Commission projects.
Katie Shannon, who was involved in the project as a Bedales student representative, has since graduated in architecture from the University of Edinburgh and is pursuing her career as an architectural assistant with FCBS.
Katie said: “Since I was 12 I wanted to be an architect and that ambition flourished during my time at Bedales, as a result of being involved with the selection of FCBS and chairing the student consultations.
“Through my connection with the architects and Bedales, I am now working with Tom Jarman at FCBS and I am thrilled that Bedales has now been deservedly awarded RIBA Client of the Year.
“It is a wonderful end to a truly unique project and I feel very lucky to have been a part of it.”
Bedales headmaster Keith Budge added: “This is a real accolade. Consultation was widespread across our school community and we are grateful to all those who helped create a building that is such a fitting emblem of the school’s arts and crafts tradition.
“I am so pleased we have been recognised by RIBA for our collective effort in creating a building that is as beautiful as it is useful.”