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BOUSFIELD SCHOOL

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A primary school built in 1954-56 to the designs of Chamberlin, Powell and Bon. It is constructed of a steel frame with glass curtain walling, obscured panels in various colours, dark brown brick and some white glazed brick. The school is arranged around two courtyards with a single-storey range for infants to the south and a two-storey block for juniors to the north. In the centre of the complex, between the two blocks, is a pair of assembly halls, staff rooms and the kitchen. The elevations are largely glazed and panelled except for brick in some of the end walls and below cill level on the ground floor. The obscured panels run below the cill level of the upper floor and vertically between the bays; the former are blue, the latter yellow, and where they intersect they are green. Apparently this arrangement was designed to teach pupils the principles of colour mixing. Stairs underneath the juniors' block lead to an external amphitheatre, formed from a wartime water tank. In the playground is a circular tank or 'watersphere' on top of a long shaft constructed of sprayed concrete, having an appearance akin to a lollipop. The school is Grade II listed.

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A primary school built 1954-56 to the designs of Chamberlin, Powell and Bon. Grade II listed. It comprises glass curtain walling with obscured panels in blue, yellow and green, with dark brown brick and some white glazed brick. One storey infants and two storey junior classrooms around their own courtyards, with the two assembly halls and staffrooms in the centre. Elevations are fully glazed, except for the white brick band below cill level on ground floor; obscure panels below cill level of upper floor and vertically between bays; the former are blue, the latter yellow, and where they intersect they are green. Some end walls of dark brick. [1]

At the time of writing (03-OCT-2011) access to the Listed Building Description is through the National Heritage List for England (List Entry Number: 1314663). [2]

Chamberlin, Powell and Bon were selected in 1952 to design Bousfield Primary School in South Kensington for the London County Council. The scheme was to provide accommodation for 240 infants and 320 juniors on a site entered from Bolton Gardens. It replaced six war-damaged villas acquired by the LCC from 1949 onwards, one (No.2 Bolton Gardens) of which had been occupied by Beatrix Potter from 1866-1913. Chamberlin led the scheme, with some details and the school keeper's house by Bon. The chief assistant was George Agabeg, with John Connaughton, Ross Chisholm and Michael Neylan. The school was planned in brick and reinforced concrete, but as built has an external steel frame. It is arranged around two courtyards with a single-storey range for infants to the south and a two-storey block for juniors to the north. In the centre of the complex is a pair of assembly halls and the kitchen, above which a servery divides the dining areas. Stairs underneath the juniors' block lead to an external amphitheatre, formed from a wartime water tank. On the exterior the obscured panels were designed to teach the children the principles of colour mixing, with yellow verticals, blue horizontals and green panels where the two meet. Sprayed concrete was used for one feature, a circular tank or 'watersphere' like a Belisha beacon in the playground. [3]

SOURCE TEXT

(1) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Kensington and Chelsea, 43rd amendment, 30-MAR-1993 249

(2) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

English Heritage. 2011. The National Heritage List for England [03-OCT-2011]

(3) Harwood, Elain 2011 Chamberlin, Powell and Bon

Page(s)38-40, 134

(4) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

1:1250, 2010

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