Children at Kirkby Church of England Primary school designed posters that were displayed along site hoardings at the 12-acre GMI retail park development project in Kirkby During Covid-19 GMI Construction Group has been working with children from Kirkby Church of England Primary School to showcase posters that the school children
Construction has started on the £3.9m renovation of King Edward VI School in Lichfield, with works being led by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson for Staffordshire County Council under the Staffordshire Construction framework. This is the second contract secured by G F Tomlinson through the Staffordshire Construction framework for Staffordshire
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson is celebrating a triumphant triple win as two of its recent projects received three accolades, including ‘Project of the Year’, at the 2020 RICS Social Impact Awards. RICS (Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors) announced winners of the RICS Social Impact Awards for the East Midlands
Milton Keynes Council has selected a contractor to take forward plans for a new £29 million school in Wavendon. Morgan Sindall Construction has been named as preferred bidder to build a new 1,530 place school under a pre-construction services agreement. Located at Glebe Farm, this ‘all-through’ school will be open
Manufacturer’s aluminium glazing systems used again at Bournemouth University. Frequent Kawneer specifiers Atkins has used the manufacturer’s architectural aluminium glazing systems again, on a unique building which forms a new £27 million gateway to a leading UK university. Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained and capped curtain walling forms triangular screens some 25m
THE STEEL frame of the University of Nottingham’s new £13.5 million Power Electronics; Machines and Control (PEMC) research facility is now in place as Woodhead Group progresses with one of its largest builds to date. After being appointed as the contractor for the new building earlier this year, Woodhead Group
A £100 million technology and R&D business park in South Cambridge has taken a step closer to completion. The first phase of the new Unity Campus in Sawston has been completed, which included the construction of the campus’ largest Grade A business, research and development building, The Works. Housed in
A contractor has signed on to deliver a major project at the Harwell Science, Technology & Innovation Campus. Mace will deliver the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre on the Oxfordshire site with a £81m investment through the R&D-focused Strategic Priorities Fund. The EPAC development is a new purpose-designed building that will
Oxford Brookes University’s Sinclair building has been given a new lease of life courtesy of a £6.25 million refurbishment project. National contractor Stepnell delivered works at the health and life sciences building over a 92-week project. These works aimed to improve the building’s spatial and environmental efficiency and included the
Plans have been put forward for a new flagship library at the University of Bristol’s Clifton campus. The state-of-the-art library will accommodate learning and research space, with capacity for around 2,000 new study seats, approximately 420,000 books and 70,000 journals and new study spaces. There will be exhibition galleries open
Children at Kirkby Church of England Primary school designed posters that were displayed along site hoardings at the 12-acre GMI retail park development project in Kirkby During Covid-19 GMI Construction Group has been working with children from Kirkby Church of England Primary School to showcase posters that the school children have designed to acknowledge the work of the NHS and key workers who have supported us through this time during the pandemic. The school has remained open throughout the pandemic, initially providing emergency childcare for the parents of key workers as well as vulnerable children and more recently it has opened to wider year groups. The children who designed the posters were those whose parents were key workers and on the frontline. The posters have been displayed along the site hoardings that surround the 12-acre retail development GMI is constructing for Knowsley Council in Kirkby Town Centre. Speaking about the initiative GMI Divisional Managing Director Marc Banks said: “Some of the posters designed by the children are fantastic and we are proud to have the chance to display them on the hoardings that surround the Kirkby Retail development. This is a fantastic initiative in support of the parent keyworkers to recognise the fantastic work they have been doing. We have already had some very kind and positive comments from the people of Kirkby having seen the posters and the support they have shown has been fantastic. As a result of the initiative GMI has offered to support the school with any projects it may have coming forward as a show of our thanks to the keyworkers. We would like to thank again and applaud the children, their teachers and keyworkers again for this amazing initiative.” GMI will also be working with Knowsley Council and pupils at the school in the new academic year on a time capsule project as part of the construction of the new retail development. Also commenting Mair Hindmarch, Headteacher at Kirkby Church of England Primary School said: “We’ve got ten children within the school whose parents are keyworkers and they each wanted to recognise how much they appreciate them and are proud of their efforts. The children had seen how other posters had been appearing within the community and wanted to design some of their own to display within the school. When GMI contacted us, we were enormously proud and grateful to have the chance to show these fantastic posters off on such a high-profile development in Kirkby. We would like to express our thanks to GMI and Knowsley Council.” The 94,000 sq. ft Kirkby retail developmentfeatures a new 42,000 sq. ft Morrisons superstore, petrol filling station and retail units including Home Bargains and a drive-thru KFC.
Construction has started on the £3.9m renovation of King Edward VI School in Lichfield, with works being led by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson for Staffordshire County Council under the Staffordshire Construction framework. This is the second contract secured by G F Tomlinson through the Staffordshire Construction framework for Staffordshire County Council, led by Entrust Property Services – the first being the £5.2m Poppyfields Primary School in Cannock, which was successfully completed last summer within a major housing development in the area. The project involves the design and build of an extension to an existing building and the construction of a new modular building to provide much needed replacement teaching and auxiliary spaces at King Edward VI School. Building on a winning partnership from the successful delivery of the Poppyfields Primary school, G F Tomlinson again appointed Arc Partnership to provide architectural and engineering services for the scheme. Phase one of works at the Lichfield co-educational comprehensive for pupils aged 11 to 18, involves the construction of a new three-storey extension on the site of a former swimming pool, which had been closed for over ten years and was demolished as part of preliminary site-wide enabling works by ENTRUST prior to commencement. The extension will provide replacement teaching and auxiliary spaces, as well as an administration area on the lower ground floor, which will be the location of the school’s new student services area. Completion for this phase is expected in spring 2021. Phase two involves the demolition of existing accommodation and obsolete prefabricated buildings, to be replaced with the construction of a brand new standalone modular structure, providing modern and enhanced science laboratory teaching facilities at the school. Ideal Modular, part of G F Tomlinson’s existing supply chain, has been appointed to deliver the modular element of this project. Works for phase two are expected to be completed in winter 2020. During the course of the construction works, G F Tomlinson is looking to engage with both staff and students of the school. The site management team will perform virtual live site tours for the school to report project progress and allow them to raise any queries they have. Once government guidelines allow it, the contractor also plans to carry out regular site tours and school assemblies, as well as communicating the project’s progress through meetings with the school. Regular newsletters will also be distributed to the school and local residents. Chris Flint, director of G F Tomlinson, said: “We are pleased to be able to commence construction works for our client Staffordshire County Council, particularly in the current climate. The works will maximise space and upgrade the existing buildings at King Edward VI School. These important renovations will optimise teaching spaces and improve the overall educational experience for students and staff. “It has been rewarding to engage with Entrust Property Services again and we look forward to working for them and Staffordshire County Council to deliver this project, whilst continuing to build strong relationships with Arc Partnership and our other local supply chain partners over the course of both phases.” County Councillor Philip White, cabinet member for learning and skills said: “These works are being completed to ensure the site can accommodate an increased demand for pupil places at the school, as a result of new housing in and around the city. Once finished, the work will enable the school to expand by 150 pupils. “We have been planning for this for a while, and construction is taking place over the course of a year to minimise disruption as much as possible. I’m sure pupils and teachers will enjoy using the brand-new accommodation in September 2021.” John Doherty, CEO of Entrust Support Services, said: “We are proud to see works commence at King Edward VI School following ENTRUST’s master planning of a multifaceted brief across a split campus. This is a complex project which we are proudly project managing with our preferred contractor and we look forward to working with G F Tomlinson, Staffordshire County Council and the school to complete it. Once finished, these new teaching spaces will benefit the school and its pupils well into the future.” Jane Rutherford, headteacher at King Edward School said “With additional students joining us each year, this project will provide all our students and staff with access to improved facilities. We are looking forward to seeing the project completed during the coming academic year”. Staffordshire County Council is leading the project, with project management from ENTRUST, G F Tomlinson acting as main contractors, and Arc partnership acting as architect and structural engineer.
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson is celebrating a triumphant triple win as two of its recent projects received three accolades, including ‘Project of the Year’, at the 2020 RICS Social Impact Awards. RICS (Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors) announced winners of the RICS Social Impact Awards for the East Midlands via a virtual ceremony last week (6 May), hosted by British tv presenters Phil Spencer and Emma Jesson. The inaugural awards recognise the built environment’s positive and transformational contribution to society. The Dorothy Goodman Special Needs School took home the headline award for ‘Project of the Year’, as well as receiving the winning spot for the Education category. Construction to improve facilities at the school was completed by G F Tomlinson in late 2018, and involved the creation of a new specially-equipped school building. The contractor worked collaboratively alongside the school, Hadland Manning Bullock Quantity Surveyors, Grayling Thomas Architects and Ian Harban Consulting Engineers to ensure that the needs of the pupils, staff and the local community remained the focus for the design and delivery of the new building. The specialist school in Hinckley, Leicester caters for 110 pupils aged between 11 and 19 years with a wide range of learning disabilities. On the Dorothy Goodman SEN School’s award, RICS Social Impact Awards head judge for the East Midlands, Sally Walters commented: “As a project dedicated to the support of pupils with special educational needs, the Dorothy Goodman School excels in providing social value not only to the young people who attend, but also the wider community. “The open and honest design approach promotes the facility and assists with the pupil’s development, whilst integrating them throughout their education into the wider world. “The design is innovative and centres on a wide range of special and challenging needs that allow users of the facility to further themselves.” Winner of the Leisure category was the Tower Gardens Community Pavilion, which was completed by G F Tomlinson at the start of 2020, with the project team including global property and construction consultancy Gleeds and Lincoln-based Core Architects. The new £1.6m mixed-use community building was delivered through the Scape Regional Construction framework for Skegness Town Council, and was built to bring new inclusive community facilities to Skegness to transform the town into an inclusive environment and workplace, as well as a vibrant place to visit. On the Tower Gardens award, judge Sally Walters commented: “The Tower Gardens Pavilion has breathed life back into a previously neglected area of Skegness town centre. The new Pavilion will provide easier access to crucial town council services, as well as providing flexible spaces and a café for the community to access all year round. “The enthusiasm from the team behind the project, as well as the support from the local community is impressive and the judges believe this project will have a positive social impact for both residents and visitors to the area.” Chris Flint, director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re delighted that two of our projects have been winners at this years’ RICS Social Impact Awards, with one of the accolades including the prestigious ‘Project of the Year’. “With a company that has social value rooted so deeply in our ethos, these awards are testament to what we stand for as a business. We’re proud to be able to deliver projects which have had such a positive impact on the communities we work in, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. “Although we couldn’t be there to celebrate this incredible triple win, we’re pleased that the awards could still go ahead virtually. We’d like to thank the project teams for their work on both of these developments, including our supply chain partners. Congratulations everyone, this is well deserved.”
Milton Keynes Council has selected a contractor to take forward plans for a new £29 million school in Wavendon. Morgan Sindall Construction has been named as preferred bidder to build a new 1,530 place school under a pre-construction services agreement. Located at Glebe Farm, this ‘all-through’ school will be open to pupils aged five to 16 and will also include a nursery with the equivalent of 39 full time places. Development of the school will be located on a 95,000 square metre site off Burney Drive, where hundreds of new houses have been built. The development is being funded from a combination of Basic Need Government funding, Section 106 grant funding and Milton Keynes Council borrowing. The investment is part of a drive to support the growing population in Milton Keynes, which is expected to rise by 40,000 to almost 300,000 by 2026. David Rowsell, Northern Home Counties area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “This development marks a significant investment in the education provisions available to families in south east Milton Keynes and is a testament to the council’s ambition to develop its network of high quality schools across the area. “Glebe Farm’s new school will be transformational for the community, providing hundreds of children with a school building that they can call home throughout their journey in full-time education. “Morgan Sindall Construction is incredibly proud to have been appointed as preferred bidder for this project by Milton Keynes Council and we’re looking forward to working with our Client closely with our project partners as the first phase of delivery gets underway. As a company, we are keen to continue to further develop our existing relationship with Milton Keynes having successfully collaborated with them in recent years. We have a wealth of experience in delivering major education projects and we’re thrilled to be able to offer our specialist expertise to support the council’s vision for the future of Glebe Farm.” Councillor Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children and Families added: “This school will provide places for many children throughout their full-time education. They will not have to make the transition from primary into secondary school. They will be able to stay put and that will help them to focus on doing their best. We are delighted that the design process will be underway soon and look forward to sharing those plans. As Milton Keynes continues to grow, we will continue to invest in and prioritise our network of high quality schools.”
Manufacturer’s aluminium glazing systems used again at Bournemouth University. Frequent Kawneer specifiers Atkins has used the manufacturer’s architectural aluminium glazing systems again, on a unique building which forms a new £27 million gateway to a leading UK university. Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained and capped curtain walling forms triangular screens some 25m wide and 15m high for the main atrium at Bournemouth University’s 5,000m2 Poole Gateway Building, while Kawneer’s thermally-superior AA®720 entrance doors were used throughout the building and its AA®190 TB automatic sliding door was used at the campus side entrance lobby. In addition, Kawneer’s AA®541 fixed-light windows were used to create openings within both the rainscreen and masonry facades while thermally-broken AA®543 tilturn windows were used alongside aluminium spandrel panels as insertions to the curtain walling. Kirsty Pesticcio, senior architect at Atkins, said: “The glazed elements have a significant impact on the building and the Kawneer products interfaced really well with the masonry and rainscreen façade. “The triangulated gateway form was very complex in nature so we had to ensure fixings were angled with precision to tie into the structural members. Kawneer-approved installer Leay were engaged early within the design process to ensure the developing design met both our design concept and technical constraints of the products chosen.” The building was targeting a BREEAM “Excellent” score so upper BRE Green Guide ratings for material specification, aligned with budgets, was important. The Poole Gateway building is a state-of-the-art combined technical facility for the university’s faculties of Science and Technology and Media and Communication, the latter of which houses the UK’s only recognised Centre for Excellence in Media Practice. The two-year build by main contractor Willmott Dixon comprises a steel frame, SFS infill and composite concrete decked floors. Although the building is primarily divided by internal stud partitions, there are many technical studio spaces which had to be designed and installed as a ‘room in room’ construction using timber frames. Specialist sub-contractor Leay had a team of up to six on site for three winter months. Leay’s business development manager Mike Watts said: “The main curtain wall screens are essentially large triangles. The transom locations were staggered in design in an attempt to prevent hard lines being established in the overall design. “The transoms were set out by us to keep glass specification the same thickness on the project and also to optimise the material on the project efficiently to keep wastage down and therefore cost. “The project was also designed to limit the amount of intermediate steelwork to make the atrium feel as open plan as possible as well as to dead load the full screen down onto the ground-floor slab. “We proposed the use of Kawneer products on this scheme from the outset as we knew they would represent the best value for money and also achieve the structural requirements of the scheme. Working alongside the architect from an early stage, we were able to quickly assist with mullion sizings to allow setting out to be established and avoid potential clashes at a very early stage.” Atkins’ brief was to deliver a new gateway building on the eastern edge of the university’s Talbot Campus which sits just inside the border between Bournemouth and Poole and would be predominantly used by students from the two faculties, providing a range of high-quality technical facilities to support undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as research. Kirsty Pesticcio said: “We believe the client is delighted with the overall design and how it meets the original brief of a gateway building to their campus.” NESTA (National Endowment for Science Technology and Art) said: “Almost half of all graduates from specialist VFX [visual effects] courses who gained employment in the industry had graduated from Bournemouth University”. Graduates have worked on Hollywood blockbusters such as Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Gravity, Star Wars, Madagascar and Interstellar, which won an Oscar in 2015. The Poole Gateway building is one of three at Bournemouth University which feature Kawneer systems. They have also been used on a £40 million new home for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Again designed by Atkins, the Bournemouth Gateway Building features Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain walling with feature face caps on tall atrium screens along with AA®720 window vents and entrance doors and AA®190 TB doors. The Kawneer systems here were installed by fellow Kawneer-approved dealer Aluminium Sashes for main contractor Kier. The Bournemouth Gateway Building is due to open in September 2020. Kawneer systems were also used on the original £22 million BREEAM “Excellent” Fusion building which features Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained curtain walling, AA®541 top-hung casement windows, AA®545 low/medium duty swing doors and series 190 doors. These were installed by approved dealer AB Glass for Willmott Dixon to a BDP design.
THE STEEL frame of the University of Nottingham’s new £13.5 million Power Electronics; Machines and Control (PEMC) research facility is now in place as Woodhead Group progresses with one of its largest builds to date. After being appointed as the contractor for the new building earlier this year, Woodhead Group has led construction of the University’s entire Research and Innovation Centre for Power Electronics and Machines, which when completed will be home to the PEMC research group. As the largest-ever contract secured by Woodhead, the research and innovation centre will join a host of their other high-profile collaborations between Woodhead Group and the University, including the BREEAM Excellent rated Ingenuity Lab and the Research Acceleration Demonstration (RAD) building. The two- storey, 60,000 sq ft PEMC research facility, part-funded by Research England’s UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and the Wolfson Foundation, will be located on the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee campus. Once completed in 2020, the PEMC building will provide office and research accommodation for the world-leading Power Electronics, Machine and Control research group which sits within the faculty of engineering at the university. It will host academic offices, three laboratories for high power, power electronics and drives and will also contain open-plan research space, seminar rooms and exhibition spaces. There will also be a workshop and office space for 144 researchers and PhD students, further supporting the University’s dedication to cutting edge innovation. Commenting on the progress of the project, Robert Martindale, Project Manager at Woodhead Group said: “We’re very pleased with the progression of the PEMC site. The site team also applaud the relationship with the University team and their assistance whilst working on this demanding project. “The space is going to create such a great opportunity to grow and expand on some of the world’s leading research and engineering research for the University, and we’re incredibly pleased to be the main contractor working again with the University of Nottingham on such a ground-breaking research facility. “The University and Woodhead Group have developed a great collaborative relationship over the years. We’re dedicated to upholding its world-class reputation as an innovative leader in its field through the transformation of their campus.” Richard Wigginton, Head of Capital Projects at the University of Nottingham said, “We are pleased to see this key milestone has been reached, demonstrating the work towards an important facility that will be home to revolutionary research, helping to shape the future of the UK manufacturing industry.” Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation said, “It is excellent to hear that the steel frame structure is now in place for the Power Electronics, Machines and Control facility. This is a step closer to the development of this research environment which will address the hugely important area of technological advancements in industry and science, and the decarbonisation of energy”. Working alongside Woodhead Group will be architects Bond Bryan and cost consultants Turner and Townsend. The project is managed by Aecom. To find out more, contact Woodhead Group at woodhead-group.co.uk or join the conversation @WoodheadGroup.
A £100 million technology and R&D business park in South Cambridge has taken a step closer to completion. The first phase of the new Unity Campus in Sawston has been completed, which included the construction of the campus’ largest Grade A business, research and development building, The Works. Housed in a pre-cast concrete frame and designed by world-leading architects, NBBJ, The Works will offer 63,000 square feet of innovative, multi-occupancy offices, R&D and lab facilities. The two-storey accommodation is constructed around a large, double height atrium housing shared breakout, amenity and informal meeting space. It is set in the heart of the South Cambridge Cluster on the former Sawston Trade Park site on London Road. Across the campus, parking space for 670 bikes and 703 vehicles, including disabled spaces, will be provided, alongside a new access road from A1301 and upgraded footpaths and cycle ways linking the estate with Whittlesford Parkway station. When complete, Unity Campus will boost Cambridge’s thriving business sector with 260,000 square foot of high quality, contemporary space to foster collaborative relationships and enable co-innovation. Morgan Sindall Construction is on site to deliver Unity Park on behalf of Howard Group. Bob Ensch, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Unity Campus will provide a stunning location with unique and inspiring facilities that will enable businesses within the South Cambridge Cluster to foster world-leading collaboration and innovation. “We have enjoyed working closely with Howard Group to ensure the successful delivery of such an important part of the Unity Campus.” William Jewson, Director – Development at Howard Group, commented: “We have enjoyed working with Morgan Sindall Construction to help us kick off our masterplan for Unity Campus. Our goal is to create a business park which meets the needs of a new generation of employers and employees, with striking architecture, grade A infrastructure, a pedestrian and cycle friendly circulation space and excellent amenities both internally and externally. The completion of construction at The Works is a crucial milestone in realising that goal.”
A contractor has signed on to deliver a major project at the Harwell Science, Technology & Innovation Campus. Mace will deliver the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre on the Oxfordshire site with a £81m investment through the R&D-focused Strategic Priorities Fund. The EPAC development is a new purpose-designed building that will house a unique, state-of-the-art high power and high repetition laser system. The appointment follows Mace’s recent successful work on two other research projects for the STFC on the Harwell campus, including the National Satellite Test Facility and the Rosalind Franklin Institute. The centre will help researchers and industry better understand the composition of new materials and how they behave in different conditions. It is a highly strategic, disruptive technology and directly supports the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy. Mace will work with the STFC, designers, a global concrete specialist and our supply chain partners to deliver the whole project, including the experimental areas of the building where high intensity lasers will be tested. Professor John Collier, Director of the UK’s Central Laser Facility, said: “As our construction partner in the EPAC project Mace will be contributing, alongside the work of the team of the scientists and engineers at STFC’s Central Laser Facility and our colleagues in academia, to a project that will enable the UK to realise the potential offered by laser driven radiation sources to be genuinely disruptive and that will soon bring together the wider science community in a diverse programme of fundamental and applied research.” Terry Spraggett, Managing Director for Public Sector Construction at Mace, added: “We are delighted to be appointed to deliver EPAC, marking another step forward in our relationship with the STFC. The Extreme Photonics Application Centre is a technically complex and challenging project, and we will use our experience in delivering cutting edge research facilities to realise the client’s vision.”
Oxford Brookes University’s Sinclair building has been given a new lease of life courtesy of a £6.25 million refurbishment project. National contractor Stepnell delivered works at the health and life sciences building over a 92-week project. These works aimed to improve the building’s spatial and environmental efficiency and included the remodelling of internal space across three of the building’s five storeys. The build was given a sleek, modern look to complement the other facilities that currently populate the Headington campus, transforming it into a modern teaching, research and study space for the university’s faculty of health and life science. The scheme was designed by BGS Architects and created ten main laboratories with preparation and test spaces, two computer laboratories and 34 open plan offices with associated meeting and interview rooms. The renovation not only made the build more sustainable, but it also increased natural ventilation and daylight which is unusual for laboratory design. Rob Speirs, regional director at Stepnell, said: “We were delighted to have been given the opportunity to modernise one of Oxford Brookes’ key learning spaces. It is important that students have access to flexible working areas to enhance their learning experience and give them the flexibility that they need for different types of study. We hope that the refurbishment will increase efficiency both environmentally and educationally.” He added: “The team worked closely with Oxford Brookes to ensure there was minimal disruption caused to the daily activity of both students and staff. We’re very proud of the project and hope it will help to facilitate some amazing projects of the future.” This represents Stepnell’s third project for the university. Mary Pierre-Harvey, director of estates and campus services at Oxford Brookes University, added: “The Sinclair refurbishment has transformed the environment for the University’s faculty of health and life sciences. The building provides industry standard laboratories that offer a real-world experience for students, while high specification areas support our research and innovation. “Along with the new home for the Bioimaging Unit specialising in microscopy research, the Sinclair building provides world-leading campus spaces to match the University’s high-quality teaching and research.”
Plans have been put forward for a new flagship library at the University of Bristol’s Clifton campus. The state-of-the-art library will accommodate learning and research space, with capacity for around 2,000 new study seats, approximately 420,000 books and 70,000 journals and new study spaces. There will be exhibition galleries open to the public, an events space, a programme of activities, new public art and a café, all of which will be open to the whole community. Designed by a collaborative team formed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Hawkins\Brown and local engineers BuroHappold, the development forms part of the University’s wider plans to remodel its precinct around Tyndall Avenue. The library will replace The Hawthorns – a former hotel which currently houses some student accommodation, catering facilities and various offices. While modern in design, the library will be built in natural stone to be in keeping with the historic nature of listed buildings nearby. It features a stepped design to integrate with the local built environment. It will meet high sustainability standards, with a focus on natural light, a high level of energy efficiency, a low environmental impact, and green roof terraces. Plans also include a new civic square, with proposed new road layouts to improve traffic flow and public transport, enhance the pedestrian and cycling routes and make the whole area safer and accessible for everyone. A number of changes have also been implemented into the proposal thanks to last year’s public consultation, which sees a reduced scale above ground and new traffic management measures. Professor Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at the University of Bristol, said: “We are grateful to everyone for the feedback they gave as part of the consultation in October. Their comments have helped shape our latest plans for the creation of a world-class new University Library. “It will not only provide an outstanding new space for our students and staff to research and learn but provides a unique opportunity for the University to create a new cultural space for all the citizens of Bristol to enjoy. The ground floor will be open to all and will be home to a new Cultural Collections Centre as well as a cafe, gallery and event spaces to host talks and exhibitions. “We are also planning to enhance the public realm around the new University Library, turning a congested road junction into a calm and welcoming civic space, making the roads safer and creating new accessible public space for everyone to enjoy.” Dr Mike Entwisle, Partner and Global Education Sector Lead at BuroHappold Engineering which helped design the library, has shed some light on the engineering behind this major project. “Central to our engineering response was the University’s requirement to achieve a truly sustainable building, promoting health and wellbeing, while meeting their ambition of moving towards a zero-carbon future. “Floor to ceiling windows and an atrium at the heart of the space maximises natural daylight and views to the study spaces, promoting social connectivity. Suspended ceilings have been omitted in order to expose the elegant structure and utilise the thermal mass of the concrete frame to provide climate change resilience. “Extensive building modelling has been undertaken to optimise passive and active environmental strategies and analyse a variety of future usage scenarios. The building will transform the student experience and enhance community engagement, and become an exemplar of sustainable and healthy building performance,” Dr Entwisle added.