University of Staffordshire Woodlands Nursery
by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Client University of Staffordshire
Awards RIBA West Midlands Award 2025, RIBA West Midlands Client of the Year 2025 (sponsored by Equitone), and RIBA West Midlands Sustainability Award 2025 (sponsored by Autodesk)
The award winner tells us: "The new campus nursery at the University of Staffordshire was designed with a commitment to sustainability, ensuring it would educate and care for future generations without negatively impacting the environment. As a net-zero-carbon building, sustainability shaped every design decision.
Natural, low-impact materials were selected to create calm, nurturing interior spaces. Timber beams, wood-wool ceilings, rubber flooring, and plywood joinery define the teaching areas; offering a warm and inviting atmosphere for children and staff alike.
The highly insulated timber frame is clad in stepping larch boards, combining durability with a connection to nature. Distinctive rooflights flood the interior with natural light while providing ventilation, reinforcing the building’s focus on environmental responsibility and wellbeing. This thoughtful approach balances functionality and sustainability, creating an inspiring space for learning and care."
The jury says: "The new University of Staffordshire Woodlands Nursery and Forest School is driven by the ambition to create a positive environment for young children. Situated on the university campus in Stoke-on-Trent next to a nature reserve with a river, pond, woodland and meadows, it replaces a car park with a new carbon-neutral building of exceptional quality. The architects’ design for Woodlands Nursery is driven by sustainability. The jury were especially impressed by the innovative natural ventilation system."
Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal
Contractor Henry Brothers Construction
Structural engineer Civic Engineers
Environmental/M&E engineer Max Fordham
Landscape architect Re-form
Project management MACE
Quantity surveyor/Cost consultant MACE
CDM consultant WSP Safety
Gross internal area 751m2
