New, purpose-built facility for Alleyn’s School in Dulwich given Resolution to Grant 08.07.26

Southwark Council has unanimously given Resolution to Grant planning permission to proposals for a new multi-functional building for Alleyn’s School, a long-established and nationally recognised independent day school located on Townley road in Dulwich. The new three-storey building, named the Crucible building, will replace the School’s existing Dining Hall, to provide a central dining hall which will serve Middle and Upper School pupils, a dedicated staff dining and community space, six modern teaching spaces on the first floor, an assembly hall on the second floor for the creative arts departments and a new energy and data centre designed to contribute to Alleyn’s long-term ambition for a near net-zero campus in years to come

Forming an integral part of the local community for over 400 years, nearly 150 of which have been on its current site on Townley Road, Alleyn’s School is recognised for its outstanding academic achievement, a wide-ranging and successful co-curricular programme, and a strong commitment to pastoral care and student wellbeing. Located in a predominantly residential neighbourhood characterised by low to medium density housing, the School occupies a tight constrained site, with buildings of varying age and character built over successive periods. This has established a complex but highly distinctive context which has informed the design of the new building and presented the opportunity for a sensitive, well-considered development.

Feedback from the school and pupils highlighted a desire for a more dispersed and flexible approach to dining, with a variety of spaces envisioned to function as more than just areas for eating but also for socialising, learning and collaboration. The new multi-functional teaching spaces and larger assembly hall support a variety of learning modes allowing pupils to engage in both academic and practical learning, from classroom-based activities to cooking and peer collaboration, creating a lively, continuously used hub. Visual links between the different functions reinforce a sense of community, ensuring that the building is adaptable, vibrant and responsive, supporting holistic development and maximising its use across the school day.

The building adopts a stepped form in plan and mass with a central volume forming the core of the scheme and accommodating the main communal spaces: dining hall, six general classrooms, 6 seminar rooms and assembly hall. This is flanked symmetrically by two modest wings: the west containing the Energy Centre and the east accommodating the staff dining hall both with seminar rooms above. Finally, a single storey block runs along the northern elevation housing the kitchen and back-of-house functions with direct access to the service yard. A roof terrace on the eastern wing provides an outlook towards the city, providing externally amenity for both students and teachers to enjoy.

Externally, the design offers a confident, contemporary expression through thoughtful façade articulation, varied and playful window compositions, and the creative use of brick tones, textures, and bonds. A lighter, paler brick maintains a connection to the wider campus palette while giving the building its own distinct character whilst windows are carefully positioned and sized to reflect the activities within and entrances highlighted with double-height glazing, reinforcing a sense of civic arrival.

AHMM Executive Director Susie Le Good comments: “We are delighted to have achieved this planning milestone. It has been a collaborative process, working closely with Alleyn’s School to develop a scheme which embraces their ambition and ethos. We look forward to commencing construction in the near future."