Berkhamsted Preparatory School

Client: Berkhamsted Preparatory School

Landscape Architect: LUC

Cost: £370,000

Duration: 6 months

Completion: December 2023

Location: Berkhamsted

Berkhamsted Prep is a leading co-educational Preparatory School for children aged 7-11 based in Berkhamsted. The building itself started life as a family home.

The client brief was to provide better access, natural play and enhanced learning opportunities whilst supporting the overall curriculum the school offers.

The landscape enhancements have provided new amenities, increased play opportunities with dedicated outdoor play areas and has connected a once compartmentalised landscape into one flowing space, providing a newly accessible setting for the school,

Project Details:

  • Demolition works - including the removal of hard surfaces, paving, timber decking and existing steps and wall structures. The site won materials were re-used where suitable, either completely, crushed as fill or re-purposed into new seating.

  • The backfilling and regrading of the existing earthwork banks and planting beds together with the re-profiling of the site with to form a series of terraces to make the landscape more accessible for all

  • Hard works included masonry renovation, repair and conservation; construction of new walls using reclaimed bricks; creation of external steps and pathways; erection of fencing and installation of grass safety matting. The new steps and walls were constructed using a variety of finishes including brick, coping stone and site-won paving.

  • Soft landscaping included the planting of 19 trees - a monkey puzzle, apples and silver birches, Alongside them we added instant hedging plants, whips, climbers, shrubs, herbaceous plants and wildflower turf

  • The installation of street furniture including a tree seat and timber seating cubes using site-won materials

  • The installation of play apparatus - timber stepping stumps, balancing logs, timber rope trail, willow tunnel and slides

This is the perfect example of how good landscape design and delivery can provide the best experience for pupils, benefiting their physical and mental health as well as providing a stimulating environment to learn and play in.