The new Hampden Gurney Primary School in west London is 'bold and dynamic',1 gushed the judges of the Stirling Prize for architecture when they shortlisted it as one of the seven best British buildings of the year.
So what is so special about this building? First, it looks nothing like a school. The BBC's on-line education pages describe the '21st century architectural classic' as being 'like a swanky office building'.2 And where could the target-driven, mechanistic education of today's infants and juniors be housed better than in this six-level, steel and glass office block?
But once you get beyond the hype, it is clear that a heavy price has been paid for the school of the future. The children's playground has been sold off. In its place is a 52-apartment development, which raised the 6m needed to fund the new building.3
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