Journal

We’re pleased to share that Burlington Junior School has been shortlisted in the School Project category of the AJ Architecture Awards 2026.

Completed in 2025 for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, the project expands the school from 480 to 600 pupils, replacing a life-expired CLASP classroom block with a new three-storey teaching building alongside the refurbishment of the existing Victorian school.

Organised around a full-height central atrium, the new building brings together teaching, circulation and shared learning spaces within a clear and legible plan. Open stairs, tiered seating and perimeter galleries create connections between year groups, while carefully controlled daylight, natural ventilation, external solar shading and exposed thermal mass contribute to a robust, low-energy learning environment.

Delivered on a constrained, live school site, the project was carefully phased to maintain the existing classrooms throughout construction, avoiding temporary accommodation and minimising disruption to pupils and staff.

The AJ Architecture Awards celebrate the best of UK architecture, recognising projects for their design quality, innovation and contribution to their users and wider context.

Read more and see the 2026 shortlist: AJ Architecture Awards 2026 shortlist