Exclusive interview with specialist Devon architect

One of the largest architectural practices in the Southwest, Poynton Bradbury Architects has been putting the community at the forefront of their designs for 50 years.

Exeter Today spoke with Kate Wotton, the associate architect and lead at the Exeter office, to learn how her designs help children around Devon.

Founded in 1973 as part of the community architecture movement, Poynton Bradbury Architects has built their reputation on designing buildings that prioritise the needs and desires of the surrounding communities.

Kate explains: “When the practice was founded 50 years ago, the community aspect was at the core of it, and that remains true today. I started working with Poynton Bradbury because my ethos really aligned with theirs – I felt it was a good place to be and a good way to design.”

Above: Montgomery Primary School. Image: Hamson Barron Smith

Kate, originally from Ivybridge, has been designing schools for Devon County Council for the past 12 years.

She has specialist knowledge in how to design for pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

In fact, Kate has been instrumental in shaping capacity and development plans for over 30 SEN establishments across Devon and Cornwall.

According to Kate, the key to approaching a big project is communication.

Designing schools often involves consulting with the community, as well as communicating with academy heads, teachers, project officers, and subsequently, parents.

She says: “School developments should benefit the whole community, so people will often drop into public engagement sessions and request additional facilities or functions that we can incorporate into the design.”

She adds: “Once you’ve got a solid understanding of the flow of the school and how it needs to operate, then you can incorporate other site constraints into the design. In Devon, it's a miracle if you can find a school that’s designed on a flat site!”

Above: Mill Water School

Once tricky topography has been successfully incorporated into the design, the flow of the school prioritises features that make for a positive teaching environment, especially for SEN children.

For example, sensory rooms, quiet rooms, and free access to outside spaces.

Kate clarifies: “I think it’s even more important to have that connection with nature if you’re dealing with a child with social, emotional, and mental health needs (SEMH), as the classroom can sometimes trigger feelings of stress. In these circumstances, escaping outside can really help them regulate their emotions.”

During her career, Kate has developed an in-depth knowledge and understanding of design requirements for SEN by reviewing SEN school buildings in Cornwall and Devon and speaking with the specialist staff.

“SEN children all have very individual needs, so it's crucial to understand those needs directly from the specialist teaching staff and health professionals. At the end of the day, the teachers know what they need to do, and they do a really good job. It’s my job to make the environment as supportive as possible,” Kate explains.

One of the most rewarding parts of the job for Kate, is being invited back to the schools she helped design. She enthuses: “It’s massively rewarding. It’s why I enjoy working on schools because you’re helping set children up for a lifetime of learning. Children want to go to school and feel valued and as though they can achieve their dreams. The building they are learning in, does have a big impact on their emotional state.”

Kate has designed a lot of schools including Lodiswell Primary School near Kingsbridge, St James’ in Okehampton, and Highweek Foundation Unit in Newton Abbot. To date, one of her favourite projects was designing Lodiswell Primary School.

Above: Loddiswell Primary School. Image: Norse Group

Kate says: “When I visited last year, they said to me, ‘Oh, we still love this school. Everyone who visits falls in love with it! We have so many more kids wanting to come here that we’re going to have to expand’”.

Despite the positive outcomes, the industry has its challenges – smaller budgets, shorter programmes with the need to procure schools quicker, and a push towards more modern methods of construction alongside the rising cost of materials – but one thing’s for sure, the community’s needs will remain at the heart of Poynton Bradbury’s designs as it looks to the next 50 years.

Check out Poynton Bradbury’s projects here.