Project Description

Replacement school buildings can be designed and prefabricated to reimagine the space inside. Using the existing scale, explore The Cube, an Award-Winning modified modular school block we replaced in Yorkshire for New College Pontefract.

In this case, a new modular block replaced a deteriorated, outdated modular building that had become increasingly costly to maintain due to frequent repairs and substandard insulation by modern standards. The brief was to deliver a like-for-like replacement that is both sustainable and energy-efficient.

Given the poor condition of the original structure, New College Pontefract initially considered the complete removal of the structure. However, the loss of space was deemed unacceptable, as the classrooms served a vital function within the college’s accommodation portfolio. Ultimately, the building was judged unfit for purpose, reinforcing the need for a high-quality, bespoke replacement.

Examine this project to replace and rejuvenate an educational space while incorporating new, flexible functionality to future-proof its use.

Project Overview And Design

A Replacement School Building in Yorkshire, Prefabricated and Designed For Inclusion and The Future

The original modular unit comprised four classrooms—two on each floor—accessed via an exposed external staircase. The new building mirrors this configuration in terms of classroom quantity and area, but significantly improves upon circulation and layout. The external stairs have been replaced with an internal staircase enclosed within a welcoming double-height circulation space, providing a more comfortable and secure environment.

In addition to four 50-56m² classrooms (two per floor), the new layout includes an additional space in the form of a dedicated staff room, offering a comfortable workspace and break area for teaching staff.

A Replacement Designed With New Open-Plan Flexibility

Although the overall classroom floor area remains the same as the original building, the new design introduces much-needed flexibility. Each classroom level is fitted with sliding, folding partitions, allowing the rooms to be combined into larger, open-plan spaces ideal for exams, exhibitions, or assemblies.

Project Challenges

Matching Scale With Reimagined Design 

The new structure adopts a similar scale to the previous building to respect and integrate with its context. However, the form has been subtly reimagined: a more squared footprint better aligns with adjacent buildings, while the 4-degree mono-pitch roof adds contemporary character and accommodates a 29-panel PV array optimally angled on its independent ballast-based frame for optimum solar gain.

Maintaining appropriate scale was a deliberate design principle throughout the planning and design process, ensuring the new block feels consistent with surrounding college buildings in both height and massing.

Architectural Design Solutions

A Considered Entrance and Scale With Surrounding Buildings

The entrance has been carefully positioned opposite the Visual Arts building, adjacent to a shared space that has been resurfaced and enhanced with new covered seating areas and a pizza pod. Full-height glazing between ground and first floor creates a prominent and transparent entrance lobby that reflects the internal stair and circulation zones, encouraging intuitive navigation.

Material selection draws from the college’s established palette to ensure continuity and coherence with adjacent structures. The combination of white plastisol cladding, red brick plinth, white PPC aluminium windows and doors, and grey facia maintains visual harmony with the broader campus and the buildings’ immediate neighbours.

Accessibility and Inclusivity 

A Replacement Teaching Space With Improved Accessibility 

The new building is seamlessly integrated into the existing cross-campus circulation network, offering compliant level and ramped access to the entrance and perimeter. This ensures the building functions as a central hub for student activity in this part of the campus.

Crucially, accessibility has been greatly improved, with the inclusion of a platform lift providing step-free access to the upper floor—addressing a key shortcoming of the previous building, which lacked any wheelchair-accessible provision for first-floor spaces.

The Client’s Feedback

Replacement Modular Building at New College Pontefract

“MPH were appointed as the Principal Contractor for a replacement modular building at New College Pontefract where the old building had failed a structural assessment.

Removing the old building and bringing the new building on site brought additional challenges, there was no immediate access to the site meaning the modules had to be lifted blind over other buildings. MPH provided a seamless service through the design and construction phases, they were able to immediately understand our requirements and transfer those into a building design that met our needs immediately and with very few changes needing to be made.

Their attention to detail and professional approach across all phases of the project from start to finish made working with them to be an absolute pleasure. Without doubt we’d recommend their services to any other organisation seeking to install or replace and existing modular building. The building is now operational, feedback from staff and students regarding the teaching environment that MPH created for us has been incredible.”