NLA NEW LONDON AWARDS
12 ARTSED
SHORTLISTED FOR MULTIPLE
NLA NEW
LONDON AWARDS
Presented in association with the Mayor of
London, NLA’s New London Awards celebrate
all scales of projects, from community-led
to large-scale mixed-use developments,
both built and unbuilt, that contribute to
and enhance its vision for a New London:
a city that is sustainable, civilised and
egalitarian, that seeks to improve the quality
and standards of new design. All shortlisted
projects across the 14 categories and six
special prizes have been carefully selected
by NLA’s team of London-based Expert
Assessors. Each project will be presented to
the International Jury ahead of the winners’
announcement in November.

ArtsEd, designed by De Matos Ryan, has been
categories of NLA’s annual New London Awards. It is
the public can vote for ArtsEd to receive the People’s
Presented in association with the Mayor of London,
projects, from community-led to large-scale
contribute to and enhance its vision for a New London:
that seeks to improve the quality and standards of
categories and six special prizes have been carefully
Assessors. Each project will be presented to the
Located in a tight and landlocked block within
in November.

a largely suburban site, the first phase of the
redevelopment and masterplanning of ArtsEd
performing arts school in Chiswick reorganises
a previously disparate and physically
separated educational campus into one
cohesive whole. The project will be delivered
in three phases over the next decade to
minimise disruption to the everyday running
of the school and adjoining properties. De
Matos Ryan Director Jose Esteves De Matos
says, “With space in London limited and at a
premium, the masterplanning of this project
within its existing footprint unlocks the site’s
potential and creates much needed new
studio, rehearsal and teaching spaces in the
previously unused courtyard and rooftop
areas. Our scheme maximises every millimetre
of space available to ensure that ArtsEd’s four
Located in a tight and landlocked block within a largely
and masterplanning of ArtsEd performing arts school in
physically separated educational campus into one
phases over the next decade to minimise disruption to
properties. De Matos Ryan Director Jose Esteves De
a premium, the masterplanning of this project within its
creates much needed new studio, rehearsal and
ArtsEd, designed by De Matos Ryan, has been shortlisted within both
rooftop areas. Our scheme maximises every millimetre
the Education and Retrofit categories of NLA’s annual New London
distinct schools can now all operate from their own
Awards. It is also shortlisted for the Wellbeing Prize. Additionally,
match the exceptional quality of teaching to ensure
the public can vote for ArtsEd to receive the People’s Choice Award
outstandingly confident and creative young performers.”
through an online vote.




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NLA NEW LONDON AWARDS
13 distinct schools can now all operate from
their own state-of-the-art site. The school’s
facilities will now match the exceptional
quality of teaching to ensure that future
generations continue to leave ArtsEd as
outstandingly confident and creative young
performers.” objectives whilst ensuring that ArtsEd
continues to support the wider community.

The scheme’s design and ethos reflects the
pioneering vision of Olive Ripman and Grace
Cone who founded the school in 1944. The
playful architectural narrative is inspired
by the ideas of ‘natural movement’ and
the concept of transformational education
Established nearly 100 years ago, ArtsEd was
through the medium of dance. Underpinned
founded by ground-breaking educational
by a new, state-of-the-art studio theatre at the
pioneers who believed passionately in the
eastern end of the site, the scheme unlocks
value of combining a general academic
the potential of the existing buildings whilst
education with a specialised training in
delivering an additional 2875m2 (GIA) of new
dance, drama, music and art. Originally
facilities. The old gymnasium, which took
purpose-built for Chiswick Polytechnic in the
up a third of the existing courtyard space,
1950s, the existing building was in desperate
PRESS has been demolished to facilitate
the RELEASE
new need of extension and refurbishment. The
September 2022
spaces. With economic and environmental
site was unable to accommodate all its
sustainability in mind, careful consideration
students nor provide them with the physical
SHORTLISTED FOR MULTIPLE
NLA given
NEW to LONDON
AWARDS has been
the new building
proposals and ARTSED
environmental quality of facilities
that they deserve and that its teaching
requires. Travelling between sites gave rise
to safeguarding concerns and there was
previously no outside recreational space for
its day school students. Restructuring and
clearly defining safeguarding separation
has helped to consolidate all the students
and staff and secure ArtsEd’s position as a
world-leading provider of musical theatre,
dance and drama education for students
from age 11 through to graduate level. The
redevelopment will rejuvenate and revitalise
the existing site, dramatically improve
existing provisions and create much needed
additional spaces. The new and existing
spaces are now environmentally comfortable,
which minimise
alterations to the existing
sustainable the overall
ArtsEd, designed and by support
De Matos
Ryan, wellbeing
has been shortlisted
within both
the Education
and Retrofit
categories of NLA’s annual
New socially
London and
Awards. It is also
shortlisted the Wellbeing
Prize. Additionally,
building and for maximise
the potential
of those
of its occupants
physically, the public can vote for ArtsEd to receive the People’s Choice Award through an online vote.

spaces through localised interventions.

creatively. Reduced
energy use and all scales of
Presented in association with the Mayor of London, NLA’s
New energy
London loss,
Awards celebrate
projects, from to community-led
large-scale mixed-use
developments, both a new
built sustainable
and unbuilt, that
operational costs with
In addition
its educational to programmes,
contribute to and enhance its vision for a New London: a city that is sustainable, civilised and egalitarian,
services strategy was implemented to
ArtsEd has
a strong
community outreach
and that seeks to improve the quality and standards of new design. All shortlisted projects across the 14
wellbeing. Phase of London-based
one has included
provision and programme
a wide carefully improve
categories six special that
prizes draws
have in been
selected by
NLA's team
Expert Assessors.

Each local
project will be presented
ahead layer
of the volume
winners’ creating Jury a triple
set announcement
against array of the
community to share to the the International
in November.

the existing building that houses a series
school’s facilities and expert staff. The school
of shared site,
rooms and phase
breakout initially
looked at
various development
Located in a tight and landlocked block within a largely suburban
the first
of the spaces
redevelopment and options,
masterplanning ArtsEd performing
school in connecting
Chiswick reorganises
disparate the old and a previously
new buildings,
new and
including of relocation
and new arts build
physically separated educational campus into one cohesive whole. The project will be delivered in three
classrooms and
three 6m
high square
dance development,
but settled
on remaining
phases over the next decade to minimise disruption to the everyday running of the school and adjoining
studios says,
with “With
improved requirements
and maintaining
close Director
local ties.

properties. De Matos its Ryan
Jose The
Esteves De Matos
space height
in London
limited and at
a premium,
the aims
masterplanning project within its and
existing the injuries.

site’s potential and
sprung footprint
floors unlocks
to prevent
masterplan to enhance of the this existing
creates much needed new studio, rehearsal and teaching spaces in the previously unused courtyard and
cultural asset Our by scheme
modernising its facilities
rooftop areas.

maximises every millimetre of space available to ensure that ArtsEd’s four
The exterior treatment
of the new
extensions and securing
its future
distinct schools can
now all financial
operate viability
from their and own state-of-the-art
site. The school’s
facilities will now
match the exceptional
quality Ryan
of teaching
to ensure that uses
future generations continue
leave brings
ArtsEd as
an architectural
language to that
long-term use. De Matos
has carefully
outstandingly confident and creative young performers.”
renewed coherence and identity to the
considered the development proposals to
school. The façade uses economic industrial
ensure that they positively contribute to the
envelope material in a bespoke and playful
school’s immediate neighbours, the wider
manner to elevate its materiality. The new
conservation area and the community. The
design cloaks as much of the existing thin
proposed development and refurbishment
and leaky façade as possible in order to
directly addresses the school’s core
increase the building’s overall thermal
performance. The specification of the new
envelope exceeds the existing regulations
to target for future higher standards. The
façade’s concept is reminiscent of the loops
and arcs in musical notation and movement.

Varying and dynamic arched openings are
set within and against the simple, repetitive
rhythm of the profiled anodized aluminium
façade to reflect the dynamic activity housed
within the school. The large openings provide
clear and expansive views of the London
skyline from within and open out onto a
planted roof terrace and recreational area.

As part of the brief for the masterplan,
a new circulation spine along the rear
elevation of the main building has allowed
the school to become fully accessible.

Improved acoustic treatment, ventilation
and heating design has been incorporated
to minimise energy consumption and the
impact of the noisy road on the school as
well as the impact of the dance and acting
studio noise on neighbouring properties.

The existing practice rooms were poorly lit
and ventilated with moisture visibly running
down their walls. A hybrid natural ventilation
strategy has been applied to meet the mix of
ventilation demands. Rooftop turrets serve
the new circulation spine between the old
and new spaces to maximise the impact of
newly installed plants. Rainwater runoff is
controlled by using several approaches; a
200m2 blue roof collection zone that can
hold 150mm deep water, a sedum planted
roof area and below ground attenuation
crates in the front hard landscaping areas.

Careful phasing has eased funding and
delivery pressures. Future phases will provide
a new adaptable studio theatre, a voice
teaching suite, and a series of rooftop studios.

The proposed new studio theatre, pivotally
located at the heart of the block, will adapt to
numerous actor audience typologies, offering
unexpected opportunities for creative
teams to experiment wider and discover
more innovative creative landscapes. The
volumetric identity of the studio theatre
will remain present at all levels. It will be
accessed by a shared social foyer that houses
a cafeteria and links to the reception area
as well as the main auditorium. A figurative
arched entrance canopy and reorganised
staff car park will provide enhanced identity
and a streetscape that visually connects to
the new rooftop volume housing state-of-
the-art north-lit dance studios.