The New Riverbank Primary School in Aberdeen is a state-of-the-art educational facility built to serve up to 651 primary pupils and 60 nursery-aged children. Located in Tillydrone, it replaces the former Riverbank School and features modern amenities including a 3G sports pitch, sensory rooms, and flexible learning spaces designed to support wellbeing and attainment.
This project comprised the amalgamation of the Tillydrone and St Machar schools within one facility, which also provides an increased educational capacity to support future local residential development. Our transport planning expertise and Local Authority engagement played a key role in the development gaining planning consent.
Through our Civil Engineering and Geo-Environmental expertise, we developed a collaborative bulk earthworks’ strategy for this brownfield site, addressing issues such as contaminated soil and buried structures. Promoting sustainable development, spoil arising generated through site levelling was screened and retained on-site, where suitable, to minimise earthworks movement and reduce off-site disposal.
The drainage strategy developed through our Civil Engineering service incorporated sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS), such as porous paving, filter trench and grass swale treatment, attenuation storage and discharge of surface water, at a controlled rate, to a natural underground watercourse. This boosted the sustainable nature of this development.
Our specialist timber engineering services helped bring this inspiring educational space to life. Working alongside the project team, we designed and co-ordinated the structural timber elements, including Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and glulam components, that form the backbone of this sustainable, low-carbon building.
The external recreational and learning spaces included some unique features, such as; sand/mud pits, insect gardens, an amphitheatre, as well as a running track and 3G pitch sports facilities. Our talented and vastly experienced landscaping team played a leading role in the delivery of the overall landscaping package, working collaboratively with Aberdeen City Council and relevant stakeholders.
From concept to completion, our expertise helped shape a future-ready facility where pupils can learn, play, and thrive.
Aerial Images: © Robertson Construction
