Fairwater Community Campus

This unique school campus brings three schools together in a highly sustainable new home. With over 2,000 staff and students it will become one of the UK’s largest, most inclusive and educationally advanced institutions.

Inclusive design for co-location

Based upon a vision developed by Cardiff Council following the introduction of the new Curriculum for Wales, the vision for Fairwater Campus is to co-locate three schools onto an existing school site.

Celebrating the individuality of each school, and opening up an under-used public park, our design encourages connection through shared spaces. Every corner of the campus is thoughtfully designed to foster wellbeing and a sense of belonging; welcoming to both students and the local community.

Our architecture, landscape and interior design team have created a campus that truly belongs to Fairwater and strengthens bonds across the neighbourhood for years to come.

Fairwater Community Campus is the first of its kind for Cardiff and Wales and will be one of the most educationally advanced institutions in the UK. The development will see an increase in education places for both mainstream pupils and those with additional learning needs, helping to meet demand across the city. This scheme is not only an investment in world-class education, but also in the Fairwater community, ensuring modern amenities are available to all.

Cllr Sarah Merry Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education

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Sustainability

Sustainability has been central to our design approach for this unique co-location campus. It will be the city’s first school campus to be operationally net zero carbon – setting a new benchmark for sustainable education environments.

Our scheme integrates renewable energy sources and optimises energy efficiency to minimise environmental impact and support long-term resilience. A landscape rich in biodiversity enhances natural habitats and creates opportunities for outdoor learning, deepening the students’ connections with nature.

By uniting sustainability with inclusivity and inspiration, the campus reduces carbon emissions while providing a future-focused environment that supports the wellbeing of students and the wider community.

Project data

Passive systems include; a highly efficient façade, building orientation optimised to maximise daylight, natural ventilation throughout during summer
Active systems include; mechanical ventilation with heat recovery during winter, all-electric building, high efficiency ASHPs for space and water heating, high efficiency lighting with daylight linked controls, sophisticated controls and energy management system, efficient water fittings with leak detection
Renewables include; PV array, battery storage to store energy and increase utilisation of energy onsite, rainwater harvesting system for WC flushing

Fairwater Community Campus is an exciting project for HLM. Our design represents the vision of the new Welsh curriculum, as well as the schools shared commitment to mental, physical, and emotional education. We believe this project will enormously benefit students, school staff, and the local community.

Gina Callaghan Architect

Stakeholder engagement

The campus design has been shaped by ongoing, deep conversations with the three schools and technical advisors. With hundreds and of staff, listening and adapting is key.

Workshops and feedback sessions on interior design, landscape, façades, and sustainability ensured everyone’s voice was heard, and helped us grow the campus design into a place that truly belongs to its community.