Channing School- London

Channing School, an independent, high-achieving girls’ school in Highgate, North London, embarked on the development of a new multi-million-pound, state-of-the-art performing arts building. Designed to support a wide range of theatrical and musical performances, the facility demanded highly specialised mechanical and electrical solutions to meet both technical performance standards and the expectations of a modern educational environment.

Hensall was appointed as the M&E contractor for this prestigious project, tasked with delivering a fully integrated building services package within a complex and acoustically sensitive setting. A key challenge was ensuring optimal environmental control throughout the theatre and associated spaces, including dressing rooms and technical areas, while maintaining exceptionally low noise levels to avoid disruption to performances.

The mechanical scope required the installation of advanced heat recovery ventilation systems with low-noise attenuation, alongside a penthouse louvre and dedicated technical floor ventilation. Precise climate control was critical, particularly within the lighting and sound control room, which required reliable air conditioning. The system design also incorporated four-pipe fan coil units for simultaneous heating and cooling, supported by an air handling unit (AHU) and a low-noise chiller with chilled water distribution.

Additional complexities included integrating underfloor heating, radiators, and trench heaters across back-of-house and welfare areas, as well as delivering full hot and cold water services, above-ground drainage, and a plant room sump pump arrangement—all within the constraints of a live school environment.

From an electrical perspective, the challenge was equally demanding. The installation encompassed full electrical distribution and containment systems, small power, and specialist theatre lighting and AV wiring. Critical life safety systems such as emergency lighting, fire alarms, and security systems—including CCTV and door access—had to be seamlessly integrated. The project also required robust IT and data infrastructure, external lighting, and lightning protection.

Coordinating these diverse systems within a high-specification performing arts facility required meticulous planning, collaboration, and precision delivery to meet both the functional and aesthetic ambitions of the school.