Four Local Projects Commended at Ealing Civic Society Awards

Notting Hill and Ealing School building was judges' favourite

Highly Commended: the new building at Notting Hill and Ealing Junior School

October 24, 2024

This year’s Ealing Civic Society awards have seen the new building at Notting Hill & Ealing Junior School rated as the best project.

The ceremony took place on the evening of Tuesday 15 October at Open Ealing with shortlisted schemes introduced by Gavin Leonard, one of the judges, followed by presentation of certificates to the winners by Sarah Gaventa, Creative Director at Ealing Council. Ms Gaventa then gave a talk entitled Creative Ealing – Culture and Place, speaking about her first impressions of Ealing’s culture and heritage and projects and plans going forward.

The new Notting Hill and Ealing High School building was the only entry to be highly commended by the judges. It replaces two existing school buildings facing St Stephens Road and is designed to occupy the footprint of the original two buildings joined by a triple-height central atrium with a library above surmounted by a rooftop lantern. The teaching spaces flow to the west and the east from the central atrium. In addition to the library, the fully accessible site includes 14 new classrooms, with additional Sixth Form classrooms, specialist teaching spaces for music, art, science and computing. A double-height hall with tiered performance seating supports multiple functions including assembly, sport/PE, performance, and parents/carers events. Outside there is a science garden, forest school area, dedicated play area for Reception pupils and an additional playground for other year groups. The outside space is landscaped with lots of trees and is integral to making learning a hands-on experience.

Blondin Park Community Pavilion received a commendation from the judges. There had previously been a hedge enclosed sports area with an associated single storey changing room building and 3 storage containers used for storing equipment for annual community and sports events as well as housing the electricity supply to the site. There was a clearly identified necessity for communal facilities such as toilets, changing rooms, cafe and community space which can be used in all weathers by various user groups.

The Ealing Beaver Project was also commended. This is a community-led, fully accessible urban nature restoration project at Paradise Fields in Greenford which aims to foster urban human-beaver coexistence and is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature in urban London. The use of beavers as a nature-based solution to flood mitigation on an urban river catchment is one of the primary objectives of the project and improvements are already being seen in the water holding capacity on site after high rainfall events, negating the need for original Council plans for further engineering works here to reduce flooding problems downstream in urban Greenford.

The project is also monitoring the habitat and biodiversity improvements happening on site as beavers, ecosystem engineers, change the habitat and introduce more complexity. Finally, it is engaging diverse urban communities with the value of nature on their doorstep and setting an example nationally on how we can learn to live alongside this keystone species again after a 400-year absence from Britain.

The first phase of The Green Quarter (TGQ) in Southall also warranted a commendation from the judges. This project is transforming an 88-acre former Southall Gasworks site into a nature-rich neighbourhood. The development will deliver 3,750 homes, 30% of which will be affordable. Phase 1 includes 623 homes (50% affordable) across 9.15 acres. This phase also features Central Gardens, a 1.5-acre park with 804 new trees and a 600m stretch of water inspired by the local canal heritage. The design emphasises open spaces, with amenities such as cycle lanes, an amphitheatre, footpaths, and a fitness trail, all aimed at fostering community interaction with nature. In June 2023, the community space, Parkside Yards (PY), opened offering amenities such as a nature trail, play park, and jumping pillow. PY supports four local businesses (OPEN Southall, Pinsa Fresco, Southall Coffee House and Yarn Tings), with a further 2,356 sq ft of commercial space available for local business opportunity. A 575 air-potted tree nursery, comprising of six tree species, is also housed at PY. Earlier this year access to the Grand Union Canal has been provided through delivery of a 1.2km footpath, linking directly to Southall station.

Other shortlisted entries this year were:

Ealing Picturehouse. Located within the Filmworks development in Ealing Broadway, Ealing Picturehouse is an 8-screen cinema, boasting digital projection and sound, and featuring a cafe/bar on the ground floor, with the main bar on the first floor alongside a traditional cinema concessions counter.

Elthorne Park High School (J Block). Situated in the south-eastern part of the Elthorne High School campus, the judges said that J Block exemplifies sustainable architecture and is designed to accommodate up to 120 students aged 11 to 19. The building’s exterior features a dual-tone finish that visually divides its volume, creating a sleek, modern appearance with an optical illusion that makes the building appear to “float” when viewed from a distance. Topped with a green flat roof, the building is designed for energy and material efficiency, housing three classrooms and additional spaces across two floors. Internally, the layout includes two classrooms, a large study/exam centre, three offices, four toilets, and essential facilities, all connected by a central corridor with a staircase and lift. A roof hatch with a pull-down ladder provides access to the roof terrace.

Ivy Gardens, Inglis Road. The site is located within a prominent Conservation Area and includes several mature trees. The project involved the demolition of an existing bungalow and the construction of a three-storey residential development accommodating 9 self-contained flats. The building features a contemporary design with three pitched roof elements that are stepped in plan to relate to the gentle curve of the site. The project also includes comprehensive landscaping, installation of refuse facilities, cycle parking, and various associated works to enhance the overall living experience.

Ealing Civic Society Chairman, Ann Chapman, reminded attendees that the aim of the award was to promote and celebrate good design across all kinds of building and landscape. The Society’s award scheme was an early promoter of good design, which is now increasingly being recognised as an important contributor to a sense of place and community. She highlighted the range of schemes nominated this year, but also called for greater participation in future so that more schemes are put forward for consideration.

Since 1989 the Society has given awards to recognise and encourage building and environmental projects that make a noteworthy contribution to the community in the Borough of Ealing. Winners receive a certificate and a full award winner may display a specially designed Society plaque.

Further details may be seen at Ealing Civic Society's website.