Sustainable, Refurbished Before and After School Club Building

The Before and After School Clubs are a vital asset to St Marks School. Operating from 7:45 AM to 8:45 AM and 3:20 PM to 6:00 PM during term time, the clubs are highly popular and serve as a key draw for local families, directly supporting the school’s long-term sustainability.

However, the existing infrastructure was struggling to keep pace:

• Capacity Constraints: The club currently accommodates 65 children, but with growing demand, the school anticipates an immediate increase to 75 children.
• End of Life: The original single-storey prefabricated building was over two decades old. It was in poor physical condition, visually tired, and highly thermally inefficient, leading to high heating costs and an uncomfortable environment during the winter months.

The school’s brief was clear: they needed a larger facility located precisely on the footprint of the existing building, but it had to be delivered quickly and sympathetically to the surrounding residential neighbourhood.

To meet the school’s need for an expanded footprint without the heavy environmental impact or extended lead times of a traditional new build, MPH Building Systems proposed a highly sustainable solution: the extensive remodelling and refurbishment of an existing, pre-owned modular unit.

The project began with the safe, efficient demolition and complete removal of the dilapidated green modular unit.

By managing this phase seamlessly, MPH ensured the site was perfectly prepared for the new installation without delaying the project timeline.

Rather than manufacturing a building from scratch, MPH sourced a larger, high-quality existing modular framework. This structure was entirely stripped back and remodelled at our specialist facility.

This “circular economy” approach to construction dramatically reduced the project’s carbon footprint, minimizing waste and embodied energy while delivering a facility that looks and performs like a brand-new building.

To ensure minimal physical and visual impact on neighbouring properties, the refurbished single-storey building was designed with modest proportions and finished with a subtle, contemporary light grey/cream exterior cladding, a striking dark grey trim, and a weatherproof veranda.

Key features of the newly installed facility include:

• • DDA Compliant Access: The exterior is finished with wide, robust, and fully DDA-compliant access ramps and steps, ensuring the facility is safe and accessible for all students, staff, and parents.
  • Welcoming Entrance Veranda: A newly constructed veranda over the main entrance provides shelter from the elements during drop-off and pick-up, offering practical weather protection and a welcoming architectural feature.
  • Enhanced Thermal Efficiency: Modern insulation and double-glazed windows vastly improve the building’s energy performance, keeping running costs low and the environment comfortable year-round.
  • Modern, Open-Plan Interior: A bright, spacious, and highly durable interior environment featuring a dedicated, modern kitchenette area to support the wraparound care club’s daily catering needs.

The newly refurbished modular building was delivered and installed on the exact footprint of the old unit. Because the bulk of the refurbishment took place off-site in MPH’s controlled environment, the actual on-site installation was incredibly fast, minimising disruption to the school and neighbouring residents.

The transition from a tired, cold, and cramped unit to a bright, modern, and spacious educational facility has enabled St Mark’s School to confidently expand its childcare provision, securing a valuable asset for its future.

“We’re really pleased with the quality of the refurbished modular, and the whole process from start to finish on site was excellent, including a very smooth and virtually snag-free handover.”

Project Architect, St Mark’s, Bromley