Pippa Pop-ins — CDC Studio

Looking through an arch towards a nursery classroom with tables , chairs and blue and white tower

Looking through glazed screen towards a nursery reading area with an arch, blue carpet and stripy wallpaper

Blue arch with a table and chair with colourfull pencils

Window with childrens table and chair and dolls house.

Interior photogarph with arch and stripy wallpaper

The interior has been zoned to provide a learning landscape and features bespoke joinery towers.

A exciting project that provides a new nursery for Pippa Pop-ins.

The Site

91-93 Princedale Road is located within the Norland Conservation Area, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Set within a leafy urban context, the streets in this area are predominantly Victorian terraced houses in brickwork and painted stucco, with pavements and parking to both sides of the street.

Three storey buildings along a linear street near Holland Park — View down Princedale Road, with the buildings of stock brick and stucco white render.

Two figures walking down princedale road past the corner of the building. — The street elevation has been renovated, with new windows and doors, repaired render and brickwork and finished with hand painted Nursery sign

Astro turf courtyard with render and brick building — The new fire escape staircase has been designed to delicately reveal itself from the end of the building, with the landings cantilevered from the steel structure.

Aerial photographs of Princedale road and the surrounding kensington streets — Aerial photograph

History

The site comprises a 3-storey plus basement end of terrace brick-built property, previously used as offices. The original part of the building was constructed as 91-93 Princedale Road in the late Victorian Period. It originally occupied the corner plot at the junction of Princedale Road and Wilsham Street, as indicated by these historic maps.

Extract from OS Map 1863

At some point after WW2, the three plots comprising 91-93 Princedale Road and 1 Wilsham Street were combined. Possibly around the same time, a single-storey annexe was built in the southwest corner, filling the garden of 1 Wilsham Street.

This image is of Wilsham Street in the 1960's, prior to the demolision of the street. The nursery is the building on the left.

Historic black and white photographs of london from the 1960's

Black and white photograph of a london street with brick houses and cars

Historic photograph of men and boys on a london street from the 1950's

black and white photograph of two old ladies in a london street

View East along Wilsham Street at junction with Princedale Road c. late 1960s

Several houses along Wilsham Street were demolished in the late 20th century. The space they previously occupied now forms part of the playground for St Clement & St James’ Primary School, which also underwent development in the late 20th century. All that remains of no. 3 Wilsham Street is the exposed party wall, supported by new brickwork buttresses.

photograph of an end wall to a building taken from a school playground — Existing end elevation showing the exposed party wall and buttresses

Pippa Pop-ins is a group of nursery schools in London, founded in 1992 and owned by the Dukes Education Group The nurseries offer early education for young children at several locations in west London. Pippa Pop-ins focuses on early years education, using play, sensory activities, games, and stories to help young children learn and develop. The nurseries aim to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment where children can explore, experiment, and build confidence

About the Client

Design Challenges :

Poor existing fabric, with water ingress and no insulation
Variety of structural issues consistent with a late Victorian period property
Internal layout previous used as an office not suitable for nursery
Damp basement with no waterproofing

Vacated second floor office space before development

internal room with two windows and some steps

Linear rooflight illuminating a long room

Existing photograph of the second floor with exposed sloping ceiling and brick walls

Inadequate fire escape stairs with egress onto neighbouring property
Undefined external space shared with a neighbour
Failing roof on the ground and second floor

Matal railings and steel stair leading dpown to a flat roof

a flat roof with fire escape stair from window.

Image showing teh rear of several properties in london

viusalisation of an L shaped building from the air

Aerial visualisation of a corner building in london

Existing fire escape through a window and down a fire escape over the roof.

Early concept sketch of the learning landscape arranged on each floor.

Colourfull axonometric drawing of 4 floors of a nursery — Concept sketch of the four floors with interconnecting learning spaces

A 3d line drawing of the ground floor plan for the Pippa Popins nursery — Line drawing of the ground floor showing the entrance area leading to the stairs and learning spaces.

interior photographs of a nursery with glass blocks , archways and stripy wallpaper — Upon arriving at the nursery, visitors are greeted with a view of the childrens kitchen.

Interior photogrpah with glassblocks, archways and globe lights — Archways and a blue and white colour pallet are a constant theme throughout the building

an interior of archways and light blue wall panels. — Corridor leading from the entrance lined with light blue wall panels

Blue floor with wooden chairs and nursery toys and large window — View out towards the external courtyard and play area

The learning landscape for 1-5 year olds has been designed to create spaces that empower inquiry for each child to learn and develop. The design of the space have been develped with the following principles....

Campfire

Learning from Experts / Storytellers : A place characterised by communication flowing from one to many. Everyone can on the person(s) talking or presenting.

Watering Hole

Learning from Peers: A place for exchanging communication. Typically placed in a location you would naturally move to or through. Where people gather in groups of various sizes and where you might bump into someone.

Cave

Learning from Oneself : A place for individual study, quiet reflection, to explore questions, make connections and experience creative flow. Where communication flows within oneself, requiring a physical frame that promotes seclusion.

Life

Learning from the Real World: A place that encourages immersive pupil-centred hands-on real-world learning experience. Where pupils can apply what they have learnt and create meaning.

Mountain Top

Learning from Showing & Sharing : A place that encourages immersive pupil-centred hands-on real-world learning experience. Where pupils can apply what they have learnt and create meaning.

“There are basically two ways to educate people.
One way is to tell them how the world works – a sort of “this is how it is, so remember!” And the other way of education is to let people develop thinking for themselves in their own direction...”

Herman Hertzberger

two arches with dark and light blue feature walls — Archway leading to the childrens toilet area and steps downs toward the wet play area

nursery interior photograph lookinh through rooms to the outside — The small archway provides an entrance to a childrens slide connecting the two spaces.

Interior photograph of a white timber structure with white balustrade, archwaya and circular window. — Looking through the arch of the play tower is an area for role playing and up the stairs a reading snug.

View up steps to a nursery space with a play tower — Each floor has a wet play area with and adult and childrens sink

Three arches define tne nursery toilet cubicles

Drawing of a large arch with timber batten stripes

Drawing showing a childrens archway and slide

Drawing of a play platform with arched entrance for children

line drawing of a double arch that create a childrens reading zone

line drawing of the ground floor childrens play platform

childrens table and chairs with colourfull pencils — The wet play areas are defined by the the blue linolium flooring and dark blue arches

interior photogarph with white timber spindles to a play structure — The annex has been transformed into the early years area with tree house play structure

interior photographs with stripy wallpaper, wooden floor and archways — Looking through the cloaks area towards the play spaces, illuminated from above by the linear rooflight.

Childrens books on shelves with a table and chairs . — Reading corner separated from the main learning space by a timber arch.

wooden toys on circular blue carpets with an arch and stripy wallpaper. — Soft natural light from the rooflight illuminate the floor in this ground floor learning space

blue and white childrens toilet with arches — Arches define the childrens toilet cubicles.

Wooden circular mirrors with stainless steel taps to wash basin. — Bespoke corian wash trough in the childrens toilet area.

Looking through arches towards different nursery learning spaces.

Internal glazed screen and stripy archway

The split level ground floor created the opportunity for a childrens slide that connects the two spaces.

winding staircase with white timber balustrade and stripey wallpaper. — Internal stair linking all floors

Views up a stair with yellow nosing — External galvanised fire escape stair.

view from the sky looking down on a the roofs of princedale road — Aerial photograph showing the new stair, new roof finishes, rooflights and ASHP.

New 5no roof mounted Samsung ASHP with Environ acoustic enclosure (100KW) were mounted on the flat roof. These supply a wet underfloor heating system, supplemented by low temperature radiators. With the MVHR, this design is low carbon and economical. Compared to a gas heating with window/ natural ventilation the system has been predicted to have a 25% yearly running cost savings, and 70% less CO2 emission.

Cross section through the Victorian building showing the linbk to the external courtyard and the rear annex — Cross section through the building showing the Roof mounted ASHP and MVHR ductworks

Photograph of the rear of princedale road with the school playground — Rear elevation showing the new fire escape and new boundary wall. The ASHP can be seen on the flat roof.

Man walking up an external steel stair with princedale in the distance. — Detail of the new galvanised steel fire escape linking all upper floors.

3d image of an external staircase — BIM model render of the external fire escape.

Roof Construction

All roofs leaked and had limited or no insulation. The works included new insulated roofs to the second floor and ground floor annex space. A temporary roof (shown here) was erected during the works. Works included structural work to the timber rafters, new insulation (u-value 0.16W/m2K) new fibre cement slates and lead coping.

existing roof photograph with parapets and chimney

looking through timber joists with teh roof removed

Construction photograph of the roof and valley gutter stripped back to the timber structure.

Floor Structure

All intermediate timber floors were strengthened, fire rated and acoustically improved. The basement was fully tanked to provide a waterproof environment.

Interior photograph of princedale road with the floor joists exposed and exsiting windows

interior photograph during construction with walls and temporary lighting

Construction photograph of an intermediate floor.

Line drawing section through a princedale road building. — Cross section through the internal stair.

Line drawing section through the building with princedale road — Cross section through the building and external stair showing all basement and upper floors.

Client

Pippa Pop-ins / Duke Education
Location

Princedale Rd, Holland Park , London
Budget

Private
Design Team

RUA Cost Consultants
DWD Planning
MHA Structural Design
Max Fordhams
Marcus Foster (Arbor)
Osborn Assoc (Fire)
Robert West Transport
JB Heritage Consultants
GIA Party Wall
Contractors

Quinn London (Main)
ACS (Enabling)
Team

Robin Dryer, Molly Blackwell, Elliot Shaw, Andrew Kelso, Ciara Fitzpatrick, David Masters, Natalia Hryszko
Photographs

Nick Gutteridge
CDC Studio
Visualisation

Haze

The Site

History

Design Challenges :

Campfire

Watering Hole

Cave

Life

Mountain Top

Roof Construction

Floor Structure

Client

Location

Budget

Design Team

Contractors

Team

Photographs

Visualisation