Wapping High School

ECE Architecture

Transforming a disused city office into a vibrant school and civic hub, Wapping High School now features a new rooftop multipurpose hall, a linked sky garden, and welcoming community spaces.

We reimagined the former Polly Peck HQ into an inspiring place to learn and gather. A new rooftop hall and sky garden crown the building, while renewed ground and basement levels create accessible meeting spaces and a restaurant, opening the school to its diverse neighbourhood.

Our design adapts the existing structure to create a clear, connected environment. The top-floor hall provides flexible space, seamlessly linked to a sky garden with city views. Below, opened-up floorplates establish legible routes that place shared amenities at the heart of daily life.

Working within an existing central London building required careful coordination, including structural integration for the new floor and clear wayfinding. Across RIBA Stages 1-7, we aligned design and technical delivery to achieve a calm, inclusive experience for the school and community.

We delivered the project from concept to completion, ensuring the new rooftop volume and reconfigured lower levels work as one. Durable, welcoming finishes, and efficient layouts support everyday use, while the sky garden and hall create a distinctive identity above the streets below.

Community access shaped the ground and basement design. Meeting rooms and a restaurant are open for local use, supporting a multi-ethnic community. These spaces form the social heart of the school, extending its reach and creating a place to meet, eat, and connect.

Wapping High School expands educational provision in Tower Hamlets and enriches community life, demonstrating confident, buildable design. Shortlisted for the AJ Retrofit Award 2014, it shows how a new floor, sky garden, and accessible community facilities can transform an existing building with lasting value.