Arvalee SEN School, Omagh (£8.3m)

BREEAM New Construction, Thermal Comfort, LZC Report

Designed to cater for children aged 3-19 years with mild to severe learning difficulties, the single-storey school consisted of four ‘pods’ which housed specialist facilities. Sensory therapy rooms, hygiene amenities, specialist teaching areas for art, technology and design and home economics as well as media suites and ceramics studios were among the provisions within the cutting-edge facility.

Achieving BREEAM ‘Excellent’, the 140-student school included sensory outdoor areas ranging from a woodland walkway to wind chimes, a bug hotel, and bird houses made by the pupils. Various landscaping, multi-use games surfaces, and hard and soft play areas encompassed the site, creating an immersive oasis for students to engage and learn.