This week, Bedford Academy held a steel signing ceremony for their new extension, inviting members of the construction and design team as well as other special guests to attend.

The event marks significant progress being made on site, following the commencement of works in July this year.  Attendees were given an update and overview of the development and were then asked to sign their names on the final steel beam – providing a permanent memento.

We have been appointed as Architects and Lead Consultants by Ashe Construction, who procured the project through the Scape regional construction framework, for the design and delivery of the new one-form entry secondary school extension for 300 pupils, as part of Bedford Academy. The £12m development will provide much needed additional space which will serve not only the school’s needs but the community alike.

Project Managed by Pick Everard and operating through Perfect Circle, the project will see 16 new state-of-the-art classrooms alongside changing rooms and dining area. The building will also include multi-use spaces, which have been designed to respond not only to the School’s needs, but also to the site and surrounding community.

The project has involved a number of consultants, including the Structural Engineers BCAL and the Mechanical and Electrical Engineers One Creative, who are also providing Landscape services on the project. Sustainability consultants, TwinEarth, have been looking at the building fabric performance and how it can be made highly efficient to meet the Net Zero Carbon aspirations for the project.

Chris Chapman, Partner at GSS and Lead of the Milton Keynes Office, said, “It has been a fantastic event and great to have everyone involved in the project so far coming together to celebrate getting to this important milestone. It’s exciting to see the new extension taking shape and we look forward to seeing it continue to progress over the coming months.”