The Duchess, whose great-great-grandfather was one of the one of the school’s original benefactors, declared the official opening of the development, which won the People’s Choice Award at the 2013 Waverley Design Awards.
During the visit, The Duchess was shown the range of new facilities, including an auditorium, sports centre and sixth form library.
The Anniversary Halls at the school in Bramley, near Guildford, were designed by IID Architects of Richmond and built by Feltham Construction as a multi-functional space incorporating a performance hall, music practice rooms, drama studio, rehearsal studio, scenery workshop, ensemble room, dance studio, fitness suite and administrative facilities.
The development features an auditorium that can be adapted for a range of performance styles. Its stage is large enough to accommodate a symphony orchestra and chorus, but can be reshaped by mobile wooden panelling to provide better acoustics for smaller, more intimate performances or lectures. For dramatic performances, the stage’s suspended wing panels can be manoeuvred to become tabs and borders to replicate traditional theatre spaces.
