Sector:
Education
Location:
Nottingham
Value:
£8.2m
Scope:
Design & Build
Design and construction of new, two-storey reception and environment centre on Nottingham Trent University's Brackenhurst campus. This award-winning, highly sustainable new facility includes a 200-set retractable theatre, exhibition and information space, offices, as well as state-of the-art teaching and research rooms.
Constructed on a raft foundation design with a cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam beam timber frame construction, brick outer leaf with zinc roof covering. The lecture theatre had an additional acoustic lining, with underfloor heating.
The new reception and environmental centre was designed and constructed within a live setting on the rural Brackenhurst Campus. This with the additional challenges of working on the project whilst adhering to the university’s strict COVID-19 restrictions – including working spaces, hygiene areas and restricted / amended directions of traffic. Given to the rural location of the site, we had to constantly monitor the site due to a high breed of grey crested newts.
Services had to be carefully coordinated with structures and architectural design in a 3D environment to ensure openings in CLT were manufactured and preformed off-site.
The project featured an array of environmental and social considerations such as roof-mounted solar PV, straw bale installation in areas (sourced from the university’s own farm), lime trees lining the main drive entrance and a feature mirror pool. We hosted regular site tours for students and the client team and also developed various action plans to protect existing trees on the site, with one in particular that was to remain in the central courtyard.
Through the summer the tree had to be regularly watered, aided by a watering schedule.
The building achieved BREEAM ‘Excellent’ due to its highly sustainable, future-proofed design and finish.
This highly sustainable building has won multiple prestigious awards, including 'Building of the Year' at the 2022 RIBA East Midlands Awards, as well as receiving a Special Award for Sustainability at the 2023 Civic Trust Awards.
