Ardingly College

Ardingly College, West Sussex was founded in 1858 and is one of Britain’s leading independent schools, attracting students from around the world. To continue to do so the College identified the need to enhance the quality and extent of its preparatory teaching and boarding accommodation in line with increasing student expectations.

Associated Architects was appointed by Ardingly College to design a new Sixth Form boarding house for 110 students, providing individual student bedrooms with en-suite facilities, supporting the transition between College and University life.

The Sixth Form boarding house sits adjacent to the Grade II listed main College buildings, occupying a linear site previously occupied by a number of storage buildings of limited architectural value.

This site, which bounds the northern edge of the main College cricket pitch and set behind a row of mature Horse Chestnut trees, is set 4 metres below the level of the pitch. The boarding house has a linear pitch roofed form, and is set as far back away from the trees as possible. The building uses the site levels to conceal its four storeys, which read as only two storeys when viewed from the cricket pitch side.

The boarding accommodation is configured as one boarding house with the ability of being split to provide separate boys’ and girls’ areas. This accommodation is provided over three storeys including the roof space, and common areas for students are provided at the lower ground floor level. At the lower ground floor level ancillary elements of accommodation including plant rooms, electrical rooms and laundry have been appropriately located here below ground level, against the retaining wall to the change of level to the cricket pitch.