The management of one of the most prestigious universities in England has set the architects the task of creating not only comfortable conditions for students and teachers that meet modern ideas about the educational process, but to show a new, open and progressive "face" of the Faculty of Engineering. That is why the building had to have perfect technical equipment and apply for the highest level of environmental certification - BREEAM Outstanding. To meet all the challenges, construction was carried out according to the “design & build” scheme and using BIM technology. The new building cost the university £ 8.4 million.
The building with a total area of 4700 m2 is located on the site of the university sports center and consists of two flat and elongated buildings shifted relative to each other, each 60 m long. One - 4-storey, the second - on the floor below. The buildings are also connected by an elongated glass atrium 6 m wide. Thus, an open public area is formed in front of the entrance to the building, connecting the atrium and the rest of the campus. From the opposite end, a technical backyard arises symmetrically. And on the roof of the lower building, it is planned to arrange a green veranda.
Large fragments of transparent glazing on the facades make it possible to achieve the feeling of the utmost openness of all processes taking place in the building. Apart from glass, the architects used only three materials: the regular frame mesh is made of glass fiber reinforced concrete filled with brickwork and perforated anodized aluminum inserts. Moreover, if the northern facade looks quite smooth, then the southern one is more textured.
On the ground floor, the architects logically arranged workshops with heavy and bulky equipment. Above are classrooms, small laboratories and administrative offices. But the stairs and elevators are located at the opposite end of the atrium, which thus becomes a natural meeting place and informal communication between students and teachers. Inside, all the same materials are used, but there is also a light oak finish, somewhat softening the overall overly technocratic solution.