London architects who designed Peckham special needs school win prestigious award

Husband and wife Sandy and Clare Wright, founding partners of Camden-based Wright & Wright Architects LLP, scooped the prize for best building in the 3 to 50 million category at the Building Construction Industry Awards 2013.

It was bestowed on their scheme for Newlands School for pupils who suffer from behavioural, emotional or social difficulties, which opened in February against the odds after a 10% slash in Building Schools for the Future funding.

The Glasgow-born couple, who set up their practice nearly 20 years ago after winning a competition to design a library for the Royal College of Art, said they were stunned but delighted to beat a host of high-profile projects including the Giants Causeway Visitor Centre in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Wright, who was made an MBE in 2005 for services to British architecture, said: In recent years, the work that gets publicity is starchitecture, which is really about creating an object that doesnt belong in the context of anything around it. It doesnt always function very well it is about egos and art.

We are not interested in that here it is about function but it can still be beautiful in a modest way.

Mr Wright added: Its a different kind of wow factor. Starchitecture is not what society needs. It doesnt need gimmicks.

He described working on the school as an immensely rewarding experience and said: There was a lot of feelgood factor for us. If one or two of the pupils are directed into a good career, it will have succeeded.

Mrs Wright added: For many this is the last chance. They have been put out of mainstream schools. Sometimes family are not allowed to see them. Quite a lot are living in care and have had a really bad time so they are either very withdrawn or find it hard to control their emotions.

The 9million school, designed by Mr Wright, partner Stephen Smith and project architect Paul Cannon, has chosen to place a big emphasis on performing arts, which have been proven as an effective way of engaging students with learning difficulties.

It includes a central courtyard which doubles as an amphitheatre and large windows in every room to allow for lots of natural light.

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London architects who designed Peckham special needs school win prestigious award