Grenfell Nursery wins national Community Impact of the Year award
Congratulations to Grenfell Nursery which has won the Architects’ Journal Community Impact of the Year award. In a closely contested category, judges recognised the design, delivered by Perkins Will, as ‘clever and sensitive', placing 'nature-led childcare at the heart of the Lancaster West Community’.
The nursery, which was located in Grenfell Tower for 30 years, has been without a permanent home since June 2017 and moved to the Ilys Booker Centre shortly after. In response to consultations with nursery staff, parents, residents, and community groups, it was decided to transform the nursery’s temporary home so that it could remain in the heart of Lancaster West Estate. Working in partnership with the Lancaster West Residents' Association and local residents, RBKC invested over £2m to refurbish and extend the building, with triple-glazed windows an high levels of energy efficiency.
The nursery has been extended forward to create more spacious inside facilities for children and staff as well as a new roof terrace with a green roof. The entrance has been relocated to lead through a transformed garden, which offers new opportunities for nature-oriented learning. The refurbishment has been undertaken to deliver a high level of energy efficiency, with triple-glazed windows, and modern ventilation systems and will help the estate deliver the ambitious goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030.
James Caspell, Neighbourhood Director, said “This award is a credit to the nursery, design team, and indeed the whole community in coming together to deliver a modern, permanent home for Grenfell Nursery, providing affordable childcare on the doorstep for dozens of children in the local area.”
The nursery, which was located in Grenfell Tower for 30 years, has been without a permanent home since June 2017 and moved to the Ilys Booker Centre shortly after. In response to consultations with nursery staff, parents, residents, and community groups, it was decided to transform the nursery’s temporary home so that it could remain in the heart of Lancaster West Estate. Working in partnership with the Lancaster West Residents' Association and local residents, RBKC invested over £2m to refurbish and extend the building, with triple-glazed windows an high levels of energy efficiency.
The nursery has been extended forward to create more spacious inside facilities for children and staff as well as a new roof terrace with a green roof. The entrance has been relocated to lead through a transformed garden, which offers new opportunities for nature-oriented learning. The refurbishment has been undertaken to deliver a high level of energy efficiency, with triple-glazed windows, and modern ventilation systems and will help the estate deliver the ambitious goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030.
James Caspell, Neighbourhood Director, said “This award is a credit to the nursery, design team, and indeed the whole community in coming together to deliver a modern, permanent home for Grenfell Nursery, providing affordable childcare on the doorstep for dozens of children in the local area.”
