PfS appoints first Director of Design
14 July 2008
Partnerships for Schools has signalled its continued commitment to high-quality design within the Building Schools for the Future programme with the appointment of a new Director of Design to lead the in-house team of design experts.
Mairi Johnson, currently Interim Director of the Enabling Programme at CABE, will take up the new post at PfS in October, bringing with her significant experience of providing advice and support to clients involved in public building programmes, including BSF, and her involvement with the Zero Carbon Task Force recently set up by the DCSF.
Tim Byles, Chief Executive of PfS, welcomed the appointment, saying: “We have always said that good design is crucial in making sure that BSF schools provide teachers and students with spaces that allow them to transform the way they teach and learn. The creation of a new Director of Design post at PfS demonstrates our commitment to working with the design community to produce the most transformational and inspirational schools possible through this once-in-a-lifetime investment.
“We are delighted that Mairi Johnson will be joining the PfS team of design professionals and contributing her expertise to the BSF programme.”
Mairi Johnson said: “I am very pleased to be joining the team at PfS. CABE has given me a great foundation for my new role and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead. The schools sector stands out for me as a place where there is genuine commitment to continuous learning and improvement. Good design is essential to the long-term success of BSF and I hope to use my skills and experience to enable a proud legacy for the future.”
The Design Director will be responsible for ensuring that good quality and sustainable design is delivered in BSF, and play a lead role in liaising with a wide range of stakeholders across national and local government, the construction industry, and the design community. The Director will also be responsible for overseeing the professional team of Design Managers supporting BSF projects, as well as coordinating the resources of design partners to ensure effective employment of design capacity across the education sector.
Notes to Editors:
- Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. BSF will provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England.
- There are now 13 BSF schools schools, open nationwide: Bristol Metropolitan College, Bristol (April 08); Ifield School, Kent (March 08); Michael Tippett School, Lambeth (Feb 08); Sandon High School, Stoke (Feb 08); Birches Head, Stoke (Oct 07); Elmgreen School, Lambeth (Sept 07); Bristol Brunel Academy (Sept 07); Sixth Form, Haringey (Sept 07); Oxclose Community School, Sunderland (June 07); Chaucer Business and Enterprise College, Sheffield (Oct 06); Bamburgh School, STaG (Oct 06); All Saints College, Newcastle (Sept 06); and Forest Oak and Merstone Schools (May 06).
- Partnerships for Schools (PfS) is the delivery agency for Building Schools for the Future. PfS was established in April 2004 as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), and is operated and funded under a joint venture between DCSF (formerly DfES) and Partnerships UK.
- Mairi Johnson is currently the Interim Director of the Enabling Programme at CABE. The programme provides technical advice and support to client organisations who are devising regeneration and masterplanning projects, as well as new buildings. Before becoming Director, Mairi was the Head of the Better Public Buildings team at CABE. She is expert in the design and procurement of schools and healthcare facilities. She is an architect who worked in private practice for eight years, participating in several award-winning housing schemes before joining CABE in 2002.
