Wallyford Learning Campus

Location: Musselburgh

Brick Manufacturer: Forterra PLC

Brick Name: Carsington Cream

Architect: jmarchitects

Brickwork Contractor: Morrison Construction

Wallyford Learning Campus is a state-of-the-art community building that not only brings the community together to meet and learn but is also truly inclusive, intergenerational and responds to environmental and educational agendas.

Located at the heart of the St Clements Wells masterplan, Wallyford Learning Campus is a strong focal point within the landscape. The building links visually and physically with its surroundings by framing key views and connecting with green corridors to promote safe and active travel routes.

The design is energy efficient both in terms of building fabric and operational building service systems to achieve carbon reduction targets. Its well-insulated envelope exceeded mandatory requirements at the time of construction and minimises air leakage to achieve an airtightness of 2.7/h/m2@50Pa.

Window formats throughout have been carefully considered to optimise the natural daylight and thus minimising electric lighting requirements, whilst low g-value glazing has been introduced where required to minimise unwanted solar gains to the occupied spaces.

Forterra’s Carsington Cream brick was selected for the Wallyford Learning Campus to achieve a welcoming and presence appropriate for a major intergenerational facility. Its subtle variation of cream tones and creased texture adds depth and richness to the façades, breaking down the massing and complementing the East Lothian context.

The warm tones of the brick pair effectively with the building’s black metal cladding, creating a refined contrast that defines key entrances and breaks in form, while contributing to a contemporary, confident identity. The brick provides a consistent architectural language across the campus, while offering durability, low maintenance, and long-term value. Its textured appearance adds visual interest without requiring secondary materials or complex detailing, supporting both aesthetic goals and cost efficiency.

Behind it’s contemporary façade, Wallyford Learning Campus has been designed as a space to bring together community, learning, health, and wellbeing. Carefully considered spaces facilitate learning alongside flexibility that maximises use and creates a true community building.