Monkton Combe Music Centre
Bringing modern music to Monkton Combe School
Monkton Combe School is an independent boarding and day school. In February 2012, Monkton opened a new £3.2m Music Centre at the senior school. This new state of the art music centre involved significant challenges, not least working amongst a variety of listed structures and the logistical challenge of restricted access both through Monkton Combe village and the school itself.
The project included upgrading the existing drab buildings from the 1960s into a vibrant part of the campus, with modern recording and rehearsal rooms – all meeting the latest spatial, acoustic and environmental standards.
Project Lead
Project Team
- Location Bath
- Client Monkton Combe School
- Completion 2012
- Value £2m
Simplicity of Structure
The structure of the new build was a simple blockwork construction, incorporating cantilever RC beams where necessary. The balcony was hung from the roof by a series of stainless steel hangers.
The building itself is constructed using Bath stone, glulam beams, CLT panels and structural glazing.
Complex planning
Sensitive planning issues decreed that the existing buildings were to be retained, modified and extended, making the construction phase complicated, with underpinning, temporary works and wall retention issues. Removal of a stand of large conifer trees growing in shrinkable clay necessitated a piled foundation solution for the new build rehearsal hall.
Sound thinking
The completed building houses a state of the art rehearsal hall with digital recording facilities, equipped with a grand piano and a mezzanine viewing gallery, 12 sound proofed instrumental teaching and practice rooms, a music library, and a recording studio and post-production room.
