London firm Squire and Partners has revived traditional building techniques and combined them with contemporary details to create a workshop for a school in south-east England (+ slideshow).

"As well as its inherent aesthetic beauty, timber construction has the added benefit of rapid construction time ? an important factor when building in a busy school environment," he told Dezeen.

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"The frame itself was erected in under a week."

The exterior is clad with black-stained wooden boards that create vertical stripes on each wall and also conceal rain gutters. The slate roof is topped by a four-sided skylight that ensures plenty of daylight reaches the interior.
Inside, the wooden frame is left exposed but has been infilled with birch-faced plywood panels.
"With countersunk hex-head screws and precision-aligned shadow gaps, the uncut panels of birch-faced ply give the traditional timber frame a contemporary edge," added Heather.

Squire and Partners has been established in London for over 35 years. Other recent projects by the studio include a house extension with a facade of bronze leaves.
Photography is by Gareth Gardner.

Project credits:
Architect: Squire and Partners

Contractor: STP Solutions

Quantity surveyor: Bollingbrook

Structure: Eckersley O'Callaghan

Wood supplier: Carpenter Oak & Woodland
Section two ? cl...