Abingdon School

The Clarkson Alliance managed the recent design and construction of a superb new sports centre at Abingdon School in Oxfordshire. The £9 million centre has a variety of specialist teaching areas, social and recreational facilities, with a 25 metre, eight-lane competition swimming pool, fitness suite, climbing zone and squash courts. Although the modern building is set within a conservation area alongside listed buildings its contemporary design complements the existing estate.

The school’s bursar, Jonathan Webster, says: ‘What I like most is their hands-on approach. They make everything manageable. Sometimes people in this business can be a bit blue sky. What you are looking for in a project manager is someone who can bring it all down to earth, to make it real and to be honest and clear about what is achievable. TCA does this very, very well.’ Abingdon governor Andrew Saunders Davies adds: ‘When they start on the project, they really embrace it. They have a certain steely passion about them.’