The Wellington Academy near Tidworth in Wiltshire, named after it sponsor Wellington College, has officially opened.

The design of the £32 million academy, for Wiltshire County Council, responds to the rural site with the plan arrangement loosely paralleling the house system in use at the college.

The plan creates sense and order while providing a wide variety of spaces for formal and informal learning while the design responds to microclimate and maximises natural ventilation and sustainable timber construction to form the central hub space. The central space links to four 'commons' acting as gateways to the thematic or subject areas of performing arts, business & enterprise, science and design & technology.

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The new academy has a 300-seat theatre, sports and fitness centre, health and beauty centre, and an indoor shooting range. There are also twin boarding houses for 100 students which will open later in the year followed by the sports pitches.

Keith Papa, BDP Project Director, said: "We are delighted that the new school has had such a positive response. It is on a very beautiful site and we were very keen to create strong connections with the surrounding landscape. This project has been a truly collaborative one where we have worked closely with Kier, Wiltshire Council, and Wellington College to achieve this successful result."

(CD/KMcA)