Joint Bands School at Sandhurst

Project value: £12m

Completed: Spring 2024

Framework: SCAPE Construction and SCAPE Consultancy

Client: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

“The new band facility at Sandhurst will enable Army musicians to carry out their supporting state and ceremonial duties and national and international engagement for Defence, both today and into the future. It is a fantastic example of the significant investment we are making to deliver benefits for our people, support military training and capability, and build a more sustainable estate.”

Major General Richard Clements CBE,

Director of Basing and Infrastructure

In Spring 2024, new facilities for Army musicians were completed at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

The purpose-built facility offers an outstanding acoustic environment for the Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM), enhancing rehearsals, performances, and musical collaboration. Their new home will also support the musicians in delivering key performances such as passing out parades and Sovereign’s parades.

The newly named Duchess of Edinburgh Hall houses two distinguished bands from RCAM – the Band of the Coldstream Guards and, as a separate unit, the Army Engagement Ensemble.

In collaboration with Willmott Dixon, Perfect Circle, Pick Everard, and HLM Architects, a new residence for Army musicians was constructed. Willmott Dixon was appointed through the SCAPE Construction Framework to undertake the construction, while Perfect Circle accelerated the project under the SCAPE Consultancy framework.

This project involves the demolition of one existing building, the refurbishment of two existing buildings, and the construction of a new building to establish new facilities for the Army Musicians at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

The refurbishment of c1850 stables and old offices was undertaken to create an instrument store, music library, offices, rehearsal rooms, changing rooms, and a crew room.

The facility was delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) under the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Army Programme, which makes up the largest share of the £5.1Bn DEO Portfolio. DEO is delivering a better structured and more sustainable Defence estate to support military capability and enhance the lived experience of Service personnel.

The facility incorporates sustainable features, including solar panels and heat source pumps installed in two of the blocks.

The completed project has also received 'Very Good' and 'Excellent' ratings from the Defence Related Environmental Assessment Methodology (DREAM), thereby contributing sustainably to the built environment.

In January 2025, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh formally opened the Sandhurst facility for Army musicians, as part of her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Army Music, which was followed by a fantastic performance from the band.